Georgia to send new ambassador to Azerbaijan next year

Georgia will send a new ambassador to Azerbaijan next year, said the Georgian Embassy in Azerbaijan.

“According to the order of the Georgian government, the ambassador will complete his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan on 1 January 2025 due to the expiry of the established term in the order of rotation,” Caliber.Az quotes the embassy as saying in a statement.

Zurab Pataradze has been serving as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Azerbaijan since August 2018.

Georgia and Azerbaijan share a long history of close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. Both countries, situated in the South Caucasus, have maintained strong bilateral relations since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Their cooperation spans various sectors, including energy, trade, transportation, and regional security, making the relationship critical for both nations.

Pataradze’s tenure has been marked by efforts to further strengthen the ties between Tbilisi and Baku. Before his ambassadorship in Azerbaijan, Pataradze held various high-profile positions, including serving as the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, a significant region in Georgia. His diplomatic efforts in Azerbaijan have included fostering economic cooperation, enhancing cultural exchanges, and supporting mutual interests in regional stability and development projects, particularly those related to energy and transportation corridors such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.