Mr. Nasir Mammadov – Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Iraq
The Republic of Azerbaijan attaches special importance to developing relations and expanding cooperation in various fields with the Republic of Iraq, with which it has historically been linked by cultural and religious roots. There are historically friendly relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Iraq. Azerbaijan’s relations with Iraq include the fields of economy, energy, investment, tourism, construction, science, education, and culture.
In addition to direct bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq, there is close cooperation within the framework of international organizations and institutions such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, OPEC+, etc.
On January 2, 1992, Iraq recognized the independence of Azerbaijan.
On March 30, 1992, diplomatic relations were established between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Iraq, and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations was celebrated two years ago.
In 1992, Iraq raised the level of its diplomatic mission in Baku from the level of the Consulate General, which had been operating since the Soviet Union, to the level of the Embassy. The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Baghdad began its work in 2016, and in August 2023, Azerbaijan appointed its first ambassador to Iraq.
There are great opportunities for expanding relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq. Iraq is one of the priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. This factor is based not only on economic potential but also on common values. The two countries work together to achieve peace, stability, and security in the region, as well as to implement projects that promote progress and development.
Iraq’s support for Azerbaijan’s position in international organizations, especially within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on ending the military aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, liberating the occupied territories, and returning refugees to their native lands is an important factor in international politics. This support has greatly influenced the formation of public opinion in the Islamic world, including among Arab countries.
During the 44-day Homeland War, the representative of the influential Shiite Marja’i family in Najaf, one of the Iraqi religious leaders, and a prominent member of the Hakim family, the late Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed Tabatabai Hakim, stated in October 2020 on the situation on the front. This statement was the first declaration of support by prominent Shiite clerics in favor of Azerbaijan.
Over the past two years, relations between our countries have developed significantly. In 2023, the President of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, paid a working visit to our country within the framework of the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group on Combating COVID-19, and the first official visit of the President of the Republic of Iraq to our country on November 20-21, 2023, opened a new page in the history of bilateral relations.
At the same time, the presence of the President of Iraq at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will be held in Baku on November 12-13, 2024, will be a clear embodiment of Iraq’s support and cooperation in the field of climate.
Shortly, the upcoming official visit of the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr. Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to Azerbaijan, at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, will contribute to enriching the cooperation between the two countries with new contents and strengthening our partnership.
The visits of the Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev in December 2023 and the Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov in March 2024 to Iraq were fruitful in identifying the possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Azerbaijan is interested in investing in the energy, infrastructure, food industry, agriculture, transportation, and construction sectors in Iraq. Last month, many businessmen from different regions of Iraq took part in the Azerbaijan-Iraq Business Forum held during the visit of the Iraqi Minister of Trade Athir Al-Ghariri to Azerbaijan.
187 Iraqi companies are registered in Azerbaijan, and the trade turnover between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Iraq amounted to 236 million US dollars in 2014. However, this figure has declined sharply in recent years, especially during the “COVID-19” pandemic, reaching 29 million dollars in 2022 and 20 million dollars in 2023. However, trade between the two countries in the months of January-July this year increased by 49% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The designer of the symbolic “Heydar Aliyev Center” project in Baku, the world-famous Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, is also the designer of another project, the Central Bank of Iraq building, which is currently being built by the Azerbaijani construction company Dia Holding “data construction”.
Azerbaijan intends to develop its relations with various Iraqi provinces. For this purpose, it plans to open consulate general and cultural centers in Erbil, Najaf, and Basra.
The capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, and the Iraqi city of Basra have been twin cities since the Soviet era, and these historical traditions are currently being strengthened by twinning Baku with Baghdad and twinning Kirkuk with the city of Fuzuli.
As is known, the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Muhammad Fuzuli was born in Iraq and was buried in the city of Karbala. In many Iraqi sources, the poet is known as “Fuzuli al-Baghdadi”, and he is from the Turkish “Bayat” tribe, which is widely known in Azerbaijan.
Based on the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, dated January 25, 2024, the 530th anniversary of the birth of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Muhammad Fuzuli is scheduled to be celebrated in Azerbaijan in 2024, and the scientific and literary conference dedicated to the memory of the poet, who is a prominent symbol of our common culture, is scheduled to be held in Iraq.
These factors are one of the most prominent approaches between the two countries and their peoples, and I believe that the organization of mutual visits between the two countries and the establishment of various cultural events in the future will greatly contribute to raising the relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq to a higher level.