Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a declaration on a comprehensive strategic partnership and several agreements covering key sectors, including transport, energy, tourism, media, justice and workforce development.
The documents were signed in Shusha on September 16, during an expanded meeting between Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to the official website of the Azerbaijani president.
During his one-day visit, the UAE President first held a one-on-one meeting with President Aliyev in Shusha. This was followed by an expanded session with delegations from both nations and a ceremony to exchange the signed documents.
The two countries signed 14 documents, including a Joint Declaration on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and MoUs on cooperation in labor, transport, energy, digital development, and tourism.
The countries also inked agreements on collaboration in artificial intelligence, green energy, and joint business ventures, along with a shipbuilding contract.
Further, they signed investment agreements pertaining to the Southern Gas Corridor and an MoU between Azerbaijan Investment Holding and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company PJSC (ADQ) on investment in Azer Turk Bank.
The visit also included cultural and historical programs in Shusha. The two leaders viewed bullet-riddled monuments of prominent Azerbaijani figures, which were damaged during the nearly 30-year occupation of the region by Armenia. They visited the Shusha branch of the National Carpet Museum.
The two presidents inspected the ongoing construction of the New Shusha Mosque, whose foundation was laid by President Aliyev in 2021. At Jidir Duzu plain, President Aliyev and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended a Karabakh horses show, and President Aliyev presented a Karabakh horse named “Ergunesh” to the UAE president.
Trade and investment ties between the UAE and Azerbaijan continue to deepen, with non-oil trade rising by 43% year-on-year to reach $2.4 billion in 2024. The UAE has emerged as one of Azerbaijan’s key economic partners with investments exceeding $1 billion, underscoring the strength of a bilateral relationship that has endured since 1992.
In July, the UAE and Azerbaijan signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aimed at driving joint economic growth, diversification, and prosperity as part of the strategic relationship between the UAE and Azerbaijan.
The agreement aims to boost investment flows and unlock opportunities in vital sectors, including renewable energy, tourism, logistics, and construction services. It is also expected to enhance private sector collaboration, strengthen supply chains, and empower entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises to expand their operations globally.
The CEPA program is an important pillar of the UAE’s foreign trade agenda, which aims to increase non-oil foreign trade to $1.1 trillion by 2031. In 2024, the program contributed to the UAE’s record non-oil trade of $816 billion, marking a 14.6 percent year-on-year increase.
