BSEC: Azerbaijan plays key role in promoting Ayder International Forum

Azerbaijan plays an important role in promoting the Ayder International Energy Forum in the Turkish city of Rize as an authoritative international platform, Asif Hajiyev, Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), told Report's Turkish bureau.

According to him, Azerbaijan"s cultural capital, Shusha, has already transformed into a kind of "Azerbaijani Davos," becoming a center for discussions on national and international issues, while the Ayder Plateau in Türkiye"s Rize province also has the potential to attract global attention.

"I believe that this forum should be actively promoted, first and foremost, by Azerbaijan and, more broadly, by the Turkic world," he said.

Hajiyev also recalled that the second Ayder International Forum is dedicated to the theme "Energy, Global Security, and Diplomacy," and noted the growing role of energy in the development of artificial intelligence.

"This is not only about oil and gas, but also about wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources. From the perspective of green energy, Azerbaijan is a rich country. Azerbaijani–Turkish brotherhood is a unique example of cooperation with no equivalent in the world," he emphasized, expressing confidence that Azerbaijan will play an even more prominent role in the forum"s activities in the future.

The second Ayder International Forum is being held on January 14–17 in Türkiye"s Rize province. The event focuses on energy security, regional and global energy competition, sustainable development, energy diplomacy, as well as prospects for strategic cooperation in the Black Sea–Eurasian region.