UK embassy marks 33rd anniversary of diplomatic ties with Azerbaijan PHOTO

The United Kingdom and Azerbaijan are marking the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on March 11.

The British Embassy in Azerbaijan announced the occasion on its official X page, Caliber.Az reports.

"Today, we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan," the statement read.

Note that, Azerbaijan and UK established diplomatic relations on March 11, 1992, following the UK's recognition of Azerbaijan's independence in December 1991. Since then, bilateral ties have developed into a strategic partnership, marked by robust political, economic, and cultural cooperation.

The two nations maintain regular high-level engagements, including the strategic dialogue mechanism initiated in 2016. The most recent round took place in London in June 2023. Mutual visits by presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers have strengthened diplomatic ties, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev last visiting the UK in April 2018 and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov visiting in June 2023.

Inter-parliamentary relations are facilitated through the Azerbaijani-British Working Group in Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis (parliament) and the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Azerbaijan. Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has visited the UK on multiple occasions, including attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III.

Economic cooperation is the backbone of Azerbaijan-UK relations. The UK is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, with investments exceeding $34 billion—nearly 50% of all foreign investments in the country. Around 600 British companies operate in Azerbaijan across various sectors. The Azerbaijan-UK Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, established in 2015, held its latest session in Baku in December 2023.

A total of 26 agreements have been signed between Azerbaijan and the UK, covering various areas of cooperation.

Overall, Azerbaijan-UK relations continue to strengthen across multiple sectors, underpinned by shared strategic interests and growing economic ties.

By Aghakazim Guliyev