Breaking News

Pakistan

Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Commission Concludes 8th Session, Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Islamabad, January 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: The 8th session of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Commission concluded in Islamabad on Friday, reaffirming the commitment of both nations to deepen bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors. The session was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Defence and Defence Production, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Azerbaijan’s Minister for Defence Industry, Vugar Mustafayev, reflecting the strong and enduring ties between the two countries.

During the session, discussions covered a wide range of areas, including trade, defense, energy, information and communications technology (ICT), agriculture, transport, health, and education. Minister Khawaja Asif welcomed the Azerbaijani delegation, expressing pride in the historic friendship rooted in mutual respect, cultural connections, and solidarity on global issues. He highlighted significant milestones in the partnership, including high-level visits by President Ilham Aliyev and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which have bolstered collaboration in energy, defense, and trade.

Minister Asif emphasized the importance of agreements reached during the session, which aim to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, health, IT, defense, and tourism. He announced the establishment of new Joint Working Groups to stimulate economic growth, enhance private sector collaboration, and promote cultural exchange.

Azerbaijan’s Minister for Defence Industry, Vugar Mustafayev, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s unwavering support for Pakistan on matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity. He praised the agreements as pivotal for advancing collaboration in defense, trade, energy, education, and agriculture, while underscoring the creation of new Joint Working Groups as a key development.

Kazim Niaz, Pakistan’s Federal Secretary for Economic Affairs, highlighted progress in trade relations, including plans to implement the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement signed in July 2024. Both sides agreed to explore joint ventures and investments between businesses from the two nations. Niaz also announced efforts to expedite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an Advance Electronic Data Interchange between Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee and Pakistan Customs Service.

In defense cooperation, the session focused on finalizing an MoU to enhance joint production and sales of defense equipment. Energy discussions included advancing Pakistan’s Strategic Underground Gas Storage (SUGS) project and inviting Azerbaijan to participate in energy infrastructure projects such as the White Oil Pipeline.

Agriculture emerged as a priority, with agreements to conduct joint research on cotton and grain cultivation, seed development, and agro-commodity trade. The parties also committed to fostering business-to-business exchanges to boost trade in agricultural goods.

In the health sector, the two nations agreed to collaborate on advanced diagnostics, respond to public health emergencies, and promote medical tourism, while exploring opportunities for research and capacity building.

Looking ahead, both sides confirmed that the 9th session of the Joint Commission will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2027. The conclusion of the 8th session marked a renewed pledge by Pakistan and Azerbaijan to deepen bilateral ties, foster mutual development, and ensure prosperity for their peoples.