NATO invites Azerbaijan to Military Committee’s meeting on energy security

NATO has invited Azerbaijan to its Military Committee’s meeting on energy security for the first time on June 5, Jafar Huseynzada, head of the Azerbaijani mission to NATO, said.

“Today, Azerbaijan for the first time, is among few partner countries to have been invited to the meeting of the NATO Military Committee to be held on energy security in the "NATO+partners" expanded format,” Huseynzada tweeted, Caliber.Az reports.

The Board member of the Center of Analysis of International Relations of Azerbaijan Dr. Esmira  Jafarova will give a briefing on energy security to the Allied Nations and invitees at NATO HQ.

Along with this, Dr. Jafarova will hold bilateral meetings with Mr. Michael Ruhle, the Head of Climate and Energy Security Section of NATO and the leadership of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Lithuania.

Today, Azerbaijan for the first time, is among few partner countries to have been invited to the meeting of the NATO Military Committee to be held on energy security in the "NATO+partners" expanded format.

The Board member of the Center of Analysis of International Relations of… pic.twitter.com/kMpxKnoTWD

— Jafar Huseynzada 🇦🇿 (@JafarHuseynzade) June 5, 2023

Relations with NATO started in 1992 when Azerbaijan joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Bilateral cooperation began when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994. Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations.

Azerbaijan’s participation in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) since 1997 has enabled NATO and individual allies to assist Azerbaijan in developing selected units to improve interoperability with those of the allies.

NATO and Azerbaijan started work on a jointly agreed Defense Education Enhancement Program (DEEP) in 2008 to integrate NATO standards into the teaching methodologies and curricula of the country’s Professional Military Education (PME) institutions.

In 2018, Azerbaijan asked NATO to also involve the Military High School, a pre-commissioning school, in DEEP.