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Foreign Minister: "Azerbaijan's cooperation with African countries is developing"

26 May 2022 15:40 (UTC +04:00)

"Cooperation of Azerbaijan with African countries traditionally develop at an ever-increasing rate, becoming more active in scale and extending to new dimensions. The level and the intensity of our contacts with African countries are growing. The systematic work is being carried out in order to strengthen and diversify the existing cooperation," said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the Conference on the topic of “Legacy of African continent in the evolution of the Non-Aligned Movement” dedicated to Africa Day, Ministry of Foreign Affairs told APA.

"In 2011, the Republic of Azerbaijan received observer status with the African Union. In 2014 Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has been appointed as Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the African Union.

I am pleased to observe that during our chairmanship to the Non-Aligned Movement our relationship with Africa has gained a new impetus.

Constituting almost 45 percent of the membership of the Non-Aligned Movement, African countries have always been the flag-bearers of the Movement since its inception. They have been actively engaged in advocating the values and founding principles of the Movement. On its turn NAM has supported and played significant role the decolonization process

Two out of five founding fathers of the Non-Aligned Movement, namely Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana were from Africa. All African states, except one are currently member states of NAM. This is widest continental representation within the Movement.

The biggest portions of the Outcome Documents of NAM Summits and Ministerial Meetings have been dedicated to the problems at the African continent. Up to date, almost half of the NAM summits as well as other meetings of the Movement were hosted by African states.

All these facts are both indicative of the utmost importance attached by African states to the NAM and the significant role that African continent has played in the evolution of the Movement," noted J. Bayramov.