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Deputy FM of Azerbaijan to Asharq Al-Awsat: Relentless Efforts for Comprehensive Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Deputy FM of Azerbaijan to Asharq Al-Awsat: Relentless Efforts for Comprehensive Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev stressed Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in enhancing security and stability in the region, and pushing towards activating Arab-Islamic joint action mechanisms to stop the war on Gaza.

On Saudi-Azerbaijani relations, Rafiyev said: “Bilateral relations are strong and well-established. We support each other within international organizations and in many initiatives,” pointing to his country’s backing of the Kingdom’s nomination to host Expo 2030 and its initiative to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the Azerbaijani minister noted that during his recent visit to Riyadh, he discussed with his Saudi counterpart, Al-Waleed bin Abdul Karim Al-Khereiji, new areas of cooperation and the means to push bilateral relations towards new horizons.

“We presented our views on various bilateral, regional and global issues, and discussed opportunities for economic and humanitarian cooperation,” he stated.

According to Rafiyev, the volume of trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan does not reflect the level of bilateral relationship.

“We are talking about $26 million annually in trade volume, which is of course at the desired level, but in the past few years, investment cooperation has been steadily increasing,” he remarked.

Rafiyev added that Saudi ACWA Power was investing in the wind energy sector in Azerbaijan in 2025, pointing to new projects that would be undertaken by the company in the future.

“Our two governments have concluded agreements for cooperation in the field of energy. This gives us hope that there will be more investment projects coming in the near future,” he said, revealing a visit by the Azerbaijani Foreign minister to Saudi Arabia, early next year, to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation.

The deputy minister of Foreign Affairs said that tourism cooperation with Saudi Arabia has been growing very steadily throughout the past ten months.

“We received about 70,000 Saudi tourists last year, and the volume of Saudi tourists coming to our country demonstrated the closeness of our cultures, our similarities, and the commonality of our traditions,” he underlined.

Rafiyev continued: “We look forward to strengthening cooperation in the field of green energy, green economy, and smart technology in our economic and agricultural systems for the benefit of the entire world.”

Asked by Asharq Al-Awsat on Azerbaijan’s stance on the Gaza war, the deputy minister underlined the need to immediately stop the hostilities and the killing of civilians.

He added: “Azerbaijan’s position on this issue is clear. It calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the need to stop the ongoing hostilities immediately.”

He also stressed that negotiations should be resumed in order to find a long-term solution to the conflict.

Regarding the latest developments in the Karabakh file, Rafiyev said that Azerbaijan regained its “sovereign territorial integrity, over its entire territory, last September.”

He continued: “We took measures to combat riots and terrorism in the area... Our priority is to normalize our relationship with Armenia to build a peaceful future for our region. We offered peace to Armenia, and the final draft was submitted in September, awaiting reactions from the Armenian side.”

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UN Deputy Special Coordinator to Asharq Al-Awsat: Humanitarian Situation in Lebanon is ‘Catastrophic’

Imran Riza, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Imran Riza, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UN Deputy Special Coordinator to Asharq Al-Awsat: Humanitarian Situation in Lebanon is ‘Catastrophic’

Imran Riza, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Imran Riza, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)

One of the UN’s top humanitarian officials in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has warned that the situation will worsen if the conflict continues, calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

He stressed that the ongoing war is placing immense strain on both the UN and the Lebanese government, as over a million people have been displaced. He said current needs exceed $400 million, but only 12% of that amount has been raised so far.

Worsening Crisis

Riza, who is the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, UN Resident, and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat. He described the past two weeks as “catastrophic” for civilians, with the crisis growing over the last year.

More than 600,000 people have been displaced and over a million affected, with 300,000 crossing the border, according to Riza.

Many of these people have been displaced more than once in search of safety. Riza emphasized that the war has severely impacted civilians, with more than a quarter of Lebanon's population affected.

The UN has been working to address the crisis, but Riza said resources are limited.

He stressed that the UN has been saying all year that it doesn’t have enough funds, even when there were only 110,000 displaced people.

Last week, the UN launched a $426 million appeal for urgent humanitarian aid, with 12% of the funding already secured.

Riza said more support is expected, with donor countries pledging additional help.

He also expressed gratitude for contributions from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which provided medical and relief supplies, and said the UN hopes to see more international assistance soon.

Working with the Government

The UN is working closely with the Lebanese government every day to provide shelter, food, healthcare, and water to those in need.

Cooperation with the government has been excellent, said Riza.

However, he acknowledged that the government’s capacity is weakened after five years of ongoing crises, which have also severely impacted the population.

People are less resilient than they were during the 2006 war, and the government and its institutions are weaker, affirmed Riza.

The UN is helping the government respond effectively, ensuring transparency and accountability, so that aid reaches those who need it, he added.

The UN is also collaborating with local and international NGOs that have gained experience from Lebanon’s recent crises, helping to ensure a more effective response. Shelters are also being monitored to prevent any abuse.

A Different Reality from 2006

The current situation in Lebanon is very different from the 2006 war. Politically, the country now has a caretaker government and no president, with much less international presence.

Back then, other countries were more involved, said Riza.

The 2006 war lasted only 33 days, but this conflict has dragged on for a year, he noted.

During recent visits to southern border areas, Riza said locals were asking when the war would end, as the situation has worsened significantly in the past two weeks.

Riza noted that, in the first week of the crisis, it was extremely difficult to respond, and even now, many displaced people remain without shelter.

The UN is working with the government to provide shelter, food, and healthcare, but it’s not easy, he noted.

Displacement Crisis

With winter approaching, Riza stressed the need to properly house displaced people, saying that people can’t be left without shelter.

There are also concerns over a lack of housing, clean water, and sanitation, as well as the risk of disease outbreaks. Despite these challenges, Riza praised the close cooperation between the UN, international organizations, and partners.

Many agencies are responding, he asserted.

Riza rejected any claims of discrimination between displaced groups, noting that both Lebanese and Syrians are currently staying in UNRWA schools. He added that talks with the government about sheltering displaced Syrians have been positive.

Riza also expressed concern about the school year and children’s education.

Prolonged Conflict

The United Nations sees no immediate solution to the humanitarian and military crisis in Lebanon, with Riza stressing that the solution must be political and diplomatic, but first, a ceasefire is needed.

While there is little optimism for an end to the conflict, Riza said, the UN is encouraged by the support from its partners, which helps the organization assist the displaced.

He mentioned the recent evacuation of 1,000 people from Ain Ebel and aid distribution in Tyre, emphasizing the need to ensure that they reach those in need.

Riza called on all sides to respect international and humanitarian laws, allowing safe access for aid workers.

He condemned violations, including the deaths of firefighters, health workers, civil defense staff, and UN personnel, adding that the toll on civilian and health infrastructure is growing.