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Nazrin Abdul

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One of the defining discussions at the international forum on Facing the New World Order, hosted by ADA University on April 9 and attended by President Ilham Aliyev, centered around Azerbaijan’s evolving role as a strategic connector between Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The event underscored how Azerbaijan—positioned at the intersection of vital geopolitical, economic, and cultural fault lines—is actively shaping its foreign policy to maximize this geographic fortune.

Situated between the Caspian and Black Seas, flanked by power centers such as Russia, Iran, Turkiye, and Central Asia, Azerbaijan is more than just a transit route—it is becoming a regional axis of connectivity. As President Aliyev emphasized, Azerbaijan’s geography is not just a matter of maps, but a strategic lever in international diplomacy:

“It is enough to look at the map to understand that it is impossible not to take Azerbaijan into account.”

This geographic centrality has become a compass in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, guiding Baku to cultivate balanced, multi-vector relations with all regional players. Whether engaging with the West or deepening partnerships in the East, Azerbaijan’s approach reflects pragmatism anchored in its unique geographic reality.

Building bridges: Diplomacy and strategic partnership

Azerbaijan’s foreign policy has matured into a carefully calibrated strategy of alliance-building. From forging strong bonds with its southern neighbors in the Middle East to signing Declarations on Strategic Partnership with numerous EU member states, Azerbaijan has positioned itself as a trusted partner on multiple fronts.
This network of alliances allows Azerbaijan to play an increasingly vital role as a geographic, political, and economic bridge between Central Asia and Europe. As Western powers express renewed interest in deeper cooperation with Central Asia—driven by both strategic competition and energy concerns—Azerbaijan becomes the most natural and reliable conduit.

What distinguishes Azerbaijan’s diplomacy is its emphasis on long-term, institutionalized partnerships rather than transactional alignments. The country has developed high-level cooperation with international organizations such as the Organization of Turkic States, the EU, NATO, and the CIS, embedding itself firmly into the framework of Eurasian geopolitics.

Energy remains Azerbaijan’s strongest geopolitical tool. With vast natural gas reserves—estimated at 2.6 trillion cubic meters and expected to reach nearly 3 trillion—Azerbaijan plays a central role in Europe’s quest for energy security, especially amidst the ongoing effort to reduce dependency on Russian gas.

Through the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), Azerbaijan has redefined Eurasia’s energy map. The Trans-Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic (TAP) pipelines now form the backbone of this strategic infrastructure. TAP’s planned expansion from 12 to 20 billion cubic meters per year by 2027 is a clear signal that Azerbaijan’s energy diplomacy is not only resilient but rapidly evolving.

The 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy between Azerbaijan and the European Union marked a watershed. It was not just an agreement but a strategic alignment—laying the foundation for long-term energy diversification and economic interdependence.

Greening the Corridor: Azerbaijan’s emerging role in renewable energy

But Azerbaijan’s energy strategy is not just rooted in fossil fuels. It is now positioning itself as a future-forward exporter of renewable energy to Europe. The "Caspian-Black Sea-Europe Green Energy Corridor," a game-changing project signed in December 2022, is proof of this commitment.

The corridor, stretching across Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, includes the construction of a 1,195-kilometer submarine cable under the Black Sea. With a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, the cable will carry wind-generated electricity from the Caspian Sea basin into the heart of Europe—potentially delivering up to 4 gigawatts of clean energy.

Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency in November 2024 further amplified its green credentials. A landmark agreement with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan focused on the development and export of renewable energy—including green hydrogen and ammonia—cemented Baku’s role as a clean energy hub between Central Asia and Europe.

Infrastructure and investment: The Middle Corridor rising

Beyond energy, Azerbaijan’s role as a logistics and transit leader is expanding. The Port of Baku, the largest on the Caspian Sea, is becoming a central node in the "Middle Corridor"—the trans-Eurasian trade route connecting China to Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

By investing in infrastructure, digital connectivity, and customs harmonization, Azerbaijan is actively shaping the flow of commerce across continents. Strategic projects and a favorable business environment have made the country a magnet for foreign investment. Nearly 50% of the total investment in Azerbaijan’s economy since independence has come from abroad—a clear testament to its economic stability and international appeal.

Joint infrastructure and green energy projects with Turkiye, Bulgaria, and Georgia, including the February 2025 Memorandum of Cooperation, promise to deepen regional integration and enhance trade and energy flows.

Europe’s dividing lines—and Azerbaijan’s response

However, not all dynamics are favorable. As President Aliyev pointed out at the ADA University forum, there remain forces in Europe attempting to create artificial dividing lines in the South Caucasus—efforts that threaten to undermine regional cooperation and stability.

“Some are making attempts to separate Azerbaijan not only from this process, but also from the process in general, and to draw dividing lines in the South Caucasus. However, this will definitely fail.”

Azerbaijan counters such narratives not with confrontation, but with connectivity. Its vision for the region is based on partnership, not polarization—on mutual gain, not zero-sum calculations. This vision is increasingly shared by its partners in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, who see Azerbaijan as a stabilizing force and an indispensable bridge across three geopolitical spheres.

Once viewed as a peripheral state in the post-Soviet space, Azerbaijan is now emerging as a pivot in Eurasian geopolitics. With its strategic geography, dynamic diplomacy, and ambitious energy agenda—both traditional and renewable—Azerbaijan is not only connecting regions but helping to shape the architecture of a more interconnected and cooperative world order.

As Europe seeks new routes, Central Asia seeks new partners, and the Middle East seeks new bridges, all roads increasingly point to Baku.