New German ambassador to Azerbaijan begins diplomatic mission

Germany’s newly appointed Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Dirk Lölke, has arrived in Baku and officially assumed his duties, the German Embassy in Azerbaijan announced on social media.

“I am pleased to contribute to strengthening German-Azerbaijani relations in the coming years and to expand cooperation between our countries in politics, economy and culture,” Lölke said.

Dirk Lölke was appointed Germany’s new Ambassador to Azerbaijan on July 20, 2026, succeeding Ralf Horlemann.

Born on November 14, 1962, in Stadthagen, Germany, Lölke studied classical philology and history (1983–1991) at universities in Tübingen, Berlin, Cologne, and Bonn before entering the higher Foreign Service training.

His extensive diplomatic career includes postings at the German Embassy in Belgrade (1995–1998), the European Commission in Brussels (2000–2003), Deputy Head of Mission in Asunción, Paraguay (2003–2005), Head of the Cultural Division in Rome (2010–2013), Ambassador to Angola (2018–2021), and most recently, Ambassador to Oman, where he served from August 2023 until the end of his tenure.

By Jeyhun Aghazada