Official: NATO-Azerbaijan collaboration has evolved into lasting partnership

Cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, which began with the involvement of a few Azerbaijani officers in alliance activities, has matured into a broad and enduring partnership that spans multiple sectors, according to NATO Liaison Office Head in Georgia, Alexander Vinnikov.

Speaking at ADA University in Baku on May 6, Vinnikov highlighted the evolution of bilateral ties and praised Azerbaijan’s sustained contributions to regional and global security, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“The partnership between Azerbaijan and NATO began in 1994 with the visit of Heydar Aliyev to NATO headquarters and the signing of the Partnership for Peace framework document,” Vinnikov recalled. “Last year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of this event with a commemorative ceremony in Baku. It was a turning point in the history of our relations, laying the groundwork for multifaceted cooperation.”

According to Vinnikov, Azerbaijan’s collaboration with the alliance now encompasses a wide spectrum of areas, including defence reform, military education, peacekeeping, scientific collaboration, and humanitarian assistance.

“Azerbaijan uses NATO’s recommendations in shaping its defence institutions, contributes to peacekeeping missions, and participates in NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP),” he said. “This program supports the modernisation of Azerbaijani military educational institutions, including the Armed Forces Military College and, more recently, the Higher Military School.”

He also pointed to Azerbaijan’s active role in NATO’s humanitarian and disaster relief initiatives.
“The country provides vital support during natural disasters by offering allies and partners assistance through firefighting aircraft and helicopters,” Vinnikov said.

Vinnikov stressed Azerbaijan’s long-standing engagement in the alliance’s “Science for Peace and Security” (SPS) initiative.

“For three decades, Azerbaijan has participated in the SPS program, launching joint projects with NATO member research institutions,” he explained. “These collaborations cover areas such as cybersecurity and counterterrorism.”

The NATO official further underscored the alliance’s close cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), which plays a key role in addressing the lingering consequences of past conflicts.

“For many years, this cooperation has contributed to the clearance of unexploded ordnance and the disposal of remnants of Soviet-era rocket fuel,” Vinnikov noted, calling it an essential aspect of Azerbaijan’s post-conflict recovery efforts.

By Tamilla Hasanova