Shahin Ismayilov: Azerbaijan intensified political dialogue with African countries

Parliamentary diplomacy has become an important area of ​​cooperation between Azerbaijan and African countries, Shahin Ismayilov, head of the Azerbaijan-Algeria Interparliamentary Relations Working Group of the Milli Majlis, said at a conference dedicated to Africa Day 2026: "Rising Continent, Emerging Partnerships," held in Baku on Monday, Report informs.

He noted that the last five years have been marked by significant successes in developing relations between Azerbaijan and African countries at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.

"During this period, political dialogue has intensified, the number of mutual visits has increased, and new cooperation mechanisms have been established," Ismayilov noted.

He emphasized that visits and meetings at the level of parliamentary chairpersons play a significant role in strengthening relations. In particular, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has made official visits to Algeria and Morocco, Djibouti, and South Africa. "These visits have made a significant contribution to the development of political dialogue and the expansion of parliamentary cooperation," he noted.

Ismayilov added that high-ranking parliamentary delegations from Algeria, Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe visited Azerbaijan. Furthermore, bilateral meetings with the speakers of the parliaments of Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia, and Sierra Leone were held within the framework of various inter-parliamentary organizations.

The MP emphasized the importance of cooperation within international parliamentary platforms: "As Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement Women's Parliamentary Network, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis attaches particular importance to the active participation of African parliaments in the organization's activities." Such interaction creates important opportunities for dialogue, solidarity, and joint action on issues of common interest.