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.”



Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
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Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, told Asharq Al-Awsat that his country is close to signing military agreements with Saudi Arabia. These deals will include joint training, capacity-building programs, counterterrorism training, and intelligence sharing.

He said Nigeria is working to strengthen its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia. “My visit focused on boosting military cooperation and ties with the Saudi Armed Forces,” he added after meeting Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.

Matawalle said his country believes in Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting regional stability and global security. He noted that his visit aimed to explore new opportunities, share ideas, and strengthen cooperation to address common security threats.

Matawalle said the talks focused on boosting security ties, including counterterrorism training and intelligence sharing.

“We aim to solidify Nigeria’s partnership with Saudi Arabia and finalize agreements on joint training programs and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen our armed forces,” he said.

He also visited the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) headquarters in Riyadh, where he met Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi to discuss enhancing cooperation in security and counterterrorism with Saudi Arabia and other member states.

Counterterrorism Efforts

Nigeria has made strong progress in fighting terrorism, thanks to multi-faceted strategies, according to Matawalle. He pointed to the success of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, which has significantly reduced banditry in the northwest.

In the northeast, groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have been largely defeated through Operation HADIN KAI, he said, crediting military action and international partnerships, including with Saudi Arabia, for improved intelligence and training.

Matawalle also praised a recent counterterrorism conference in Nigeria, calling it a vital step.

“It highlighted the importance of working together to tackle terrorism and strengthen regional security,” he said.

Matawalle said that the recent counterterrorism conference helped countries share strategies, intelligence, and best practices. He stressed the need for a united front against terrorist networks and highlighted the event’s role in boosting collaboration between African nations and global partners.

Matawalle added that the conference reinforced Nigeria’s leadership in regional security and the importance of partnerships like the one with the IMCTC.

Nigeria Calls for Stronger Arab-African Role in Regional Crises

Matawalle urged Arab-African nations to work together to stop the wars in Palestine and Lebanon. He called for collective action to push for a ceasefire and provide humanitarian aid to those affected.

He emphasized the need for Arab-African countries to use their influence in organizations like the UN and African Union to seek a fair resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On Sudan’s crisis, Matawalle reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for peaceful solutions through inclusive dialogue. He stressed that clear mandates, logistical support, and collaboration with local stakeholders are essential for success.

“Nigeria is ready to work with regional and international partners to ensure peace initiatives succeed,” he said, highlighting Nigeria’s leadership roles in ECOWAS and the African Union. He also backed deploying mediators to secure ceasefires and deliver humanitarian aid.

Matawalle said deploying African forces in Sudan could succeed if efforts are well-coordinated, properly funded, and internationally supported.

He expressed optimism, pointing to growing agreement among African nations on the importance of African-led solutions. With backing from the African Union and global partners, he believes such initiatives could protect civilians and promote lasting stability.