Presidential aide reaffirms: No place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev has reiterated Baku’s firm stance against the operations of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the country.

As reported by Caliber.Az, Hajiyev took to his social media page on X to reflect on his previous statement from November 2023, writing: “Reminded of my post dated 21.11.2023. “Mask Off! There is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer!” 

Reminded of my post dated 21.11.2023.

“Mask Off! There is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer!” https://t.co/qMRpit0ecn

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) February 11, 2025

Hajiyev made such a statement in November 2023 in response to USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

Earlier, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry officially informed Washington of the termination of the activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Azerbaijan, citing the lack of legal grounds for its operations in the country.

In a statement responding to an inquiry from local media, Aykhan Hajizada, a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, confirmed the notification to the US side.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov previously addressed the issue at a joint press conference with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili. 

Bayramov stated that from June 1, 2024, USAID would no longer have any legal basis to operate in Azerbaijan. He explained that Azerbaijan had chosen not to extend the framework agreement signed in 2000, which regulated USAID's activities in the country.

The agreement had expired in February 2023, and the official decision not to renew it followed a thorough review of the agency's actions.

By Naila Huseynova