Top official: Azerbaijan to press ahead with regional peace efforts

Azerbaijan will continue to contribute to peace, economic cooperation and sustainable development in the region, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said.

Speaking at the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye Business Forum in the Kakheti region, Jabbarov stated that Azerbaijan is consistently pursuing a course of peacebuilding and sustainable economic development while strengthening regional cooperation, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

In his address, the minister referred to regional peace initiatives, the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, and the country’s economic development strategy. He recalled that in 1992, 613 civilians were killed in Khojaly, including 63 children, and that the fate of 125 people remains unknown.

Jabbarov stressed that throughout those years, Türkiye had consistently supported Azerbaijan and the principle of its territorial integrity.

He also noted that a peacebuilding process has begun in the South Caucasus. According to the minister, the starting point was the historic documents signed on August 8 last year in Washington by President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and US President Donald Trump.

Highlighting the long-standing partnership between the countries of the region, Jabbarov said Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye are united by centuries-old traditions of coexistence and cooperation, which strengthen regional stability, economic prosperity and security.

He added that Azerbaijan’s economic indicators and financial stability remain resilient. Over the past five years, a significant portion of capital expenditure has been directed towards the restoration and reconstruction of the liberated territories.

Separately, Jabbarov said Azerbaijan views its partnership with Türkiye and Georgia as one of the key directions in expanding economic cooperation. He noted that both countries are among Azerbaijan’s principal trading partners, including in exports.

According to the minister, Azerbaijan conducted trade operations worth $7 billion with Türkiye last year and approximately $900 million with Georgia.

“Türkiye serves as a strategic gateway to the European Union markets. Its industrial capacity, developed logistics infrastructure, technological capabilities and customs integration with the EU create new opportunities for organising production and building supply chains for Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus region,” he said.

Jabbarov stressed that Azerbaijan intends to strengthen its position as a manufacturing and transit hub in the region, adding that this trilateral platform will contribute to the economic development of the participating countries and their integration into international markets.

He further stated that Türkiye and Georgia hold leading positions in the structure of Azerbaijan’s outward foreign investment.

Following Azerbaijan’s entry into the Turkish electricity market and the acquisition of an 870 MW power plant, mutual investments between Azerbaijan and Türkiye have approached $21 billion, he said. Azerbaijani investments in Georgia exceed $3.1 billion, with SOCAR playing a leading role.

The minister underlined that trilateral energy cooperation has become one of the pillars of regional development.

“Today, we contribute to the energy security of Georgia, Türkiye and 14 other countries, mainly located in the West. Azerbaijan supplies natural gas to 16 countries, 10 of which are EU member states, and ranks first globally in terms of the geography of pipeline gas supplies,” Jabbarov said.

He added that the jointly implemented Southern Gas Corridor project has evolved beyond infrastructure to become one of the main pillars of Europe’s energy security.

“The Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye route has already become an integral part of Europe’s energy infrastructure. Yesterday and today, I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the forward-looking and ambitious plans of the Georgian government to modernise energy production infrastructure. If invited, we are always ready to consider investment opportunities and continue our role as a natural part of Georgia’s economic ecosystem. I believe this serves the interests of both nations,” he said.

Jabbarov also highlighted the importance of transport projects, including the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway and the development of the Middle Corridor. He noted that deepening regional connectivity, implementing the Kars–Nakhchivan project and expanding cooperation in energy, logistics and digital infrastructure open up new opportunities for economic growth in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye.