Baku, November 01, 2025 – The Europe Today: The first round of consular consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom was held on October 31 in London.
The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Emil Safarov, Head of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, while the UK delegation was co-headed by Sarah Taylor, Director of Consular and Crisis at the FCDO, and Mark Clayton, Deputy Director and Head of the Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department at the FCDO.
Elin Suleymanov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom, participated in the consultations alongside representatives of the foreign policy institutions of both countries, as well as officials from Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Science and Education. The meeting also included experts from the UK Home Office, addressing matters related to migration, visas, and legal cooperation.
During the consultations, both sides reviewed the current state of bilateral cooperation in the consular sphere and discussed opportunities for its further development. Topics included the potential signing of bilateral agreements, the digitization of consular services, and enhanced coordination to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens of both nations.
The discussions also covered issues of visa facilitation, crisis management, and the exchange of best practices in consular innovation. Particular emphasis was placed on expanding collaboration in the areas of migration, education, justice, extradition, and legal assistance in civil and criminal matters.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation and agreed to hold the next round of consular consultations in Baku.
