Azernews.Az

Nazrin Abdul

Read more

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said Azerbaijan is actively contributing to regional cooperation and the institutional development of international organizations.

As reported by AzerNEWS, speaking at a panel titled “The Crisis of Multilateralism: Rethinking Global Cooperation” during the Global Baku Forum, Hajiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role in regional platforms, including the Organization of Turkic States.

According to him, Azerbaijan has recently joined the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) and supports further institutionalization and increased functionality of the group.

Hajiyev noted that institutions within the United Nations system sometimes compete with each other rather than cooperate, leading to inefficient use of limited resources. In such conditions, countries like Azerbaijan increasingly rely on the concept of “middle power” diplomacy.

“Instead of waiting for multilateral institutions to make decisions, we take the initiative and bring together like-minded countries around specific issues to achieve real change,” he said. Hajiyev explained that this approach is based on the ideas of “coalitions of the willing” and “variable geometry,” where geography is less important than shared interests.

“For example, Azerbaijan, Australia, and Türkiye can work together on certain issues,” he added.

Hajiyev also said Azerbaijan is currently cooperating under the climate agenda of the COP climate conferences and discussing ways to contribute more effectively to upcoming COP meetings. He noted that Azerbaijan is also working with Ethiopia in the field of climate diplomacy.

He stressed that flexible diplomacy and partnerships between like-minded countries can significantly contribute to shaping regional developments and supporting peace and security.

Referring to the past role of international organizations, Hajiyev said Azerbaijan initially relied on institutions such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to help resolve the conflict with Armenia. However, he described the OSCE Minsk Group as a diplomatic failure in this context.

Despite this, he said Azerbaijan eventually introduced a unique model for restoring peace and security by resolving the long-standing conflict through military and political means.

Hajiyev emphasized that real peace currently exists in the region, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan working on the parameters of a future peace agenda.

He also pointed to regional energy cooperation as a successful example of multilateral diplomacy, highlighting projects that connect the Caspian Sea to the Adriatic Sea through joint initiatives involving multiple countries.

Another example, Hajiyev said, is Azerbaijan’s growing cooperation with Central Asia. Last year, Azerbaijan became a full member of the Central Asia Consultative Forum, demonstrating how countries with similar perspectives can work together to shape both regional and global agendas.