Potential partnerships between Pakistan, Azerbaijan
PAKISTAN and Azerbaijan have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations with shared cultural, linguistic and religious ties. The two countries have maintained a close relationship since Pakistan recognized Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991, and diplomatic relations were established in 1992. In recent years, the two countries have deepened their ties, particularly in the areas of defence, energy and trade. In 2020, Pakistan and Azerbaijan signed several agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance cooperation in various fields, including defence, trade and investment. Both countries have also expressed support for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Moreover, the two countries also share similar positions on several regional and international issues such as the Kashmir dispute and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Both countries have expressed support for each other’s stance on these issues. Furthermore, Pakistan and Azerbaijan share a close historical and cultural bond and have maintained close economic ties. The two countries have a long history of bilateral trade and Azerbaijan is keen to expand its commercial ties with Pakistan. The sectors with the greatest potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between Pakistan and Azerbaijan are:
1. Energy and Infrastructure: Azerbaijan is one of the largest oil and gas producers in the region and has a rapidly growing infrastructure sector. Pakistan has a large and growing energy demand, making it an attractive market for Azerbaijani energy companies.
2. Agriculture and Food Processing: Azerbaijan has a well-developed agricultural sector with a rich tradition of growing and processing food. Pakistan has a large and growing food processing industry that can benefit from Azerbaijan’s expertise and experience in this area.
3. Textile and Fashion: Both Pakistan and Azerbaijan have a rich history of textile production and design. Azerbaijan has a well-developed fashion industry and could benefit from Pakistan’s expertise in textile production and export.
4. Information Technology: Azerbaijan has a rapidly growing IT sector with a strong focus on software development and outsourcing. Pakistan is also a rapidly growing IT hub, with a large pool of talented software developers. Both countries could benefit from closer cooperation in this area. Pakistan has one of the best National Database & Registration Authority – NADRA which is an independent and autonomous agency under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan that regulates government databases and statistically manages the sensitive registration database of all the national citizens of Pakistan. It can be replicated in Azerbaijan and similarly Azerbaijan’s ASAN Service secured the best government service award in the world last week in World Government Summit, Dubai which may be replicated in Pakistan.
5. Health: Large number of Pakistani doctors and healthcare professionals are serving globally particularly in the developed countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy etc. There is a huge potential of job markets for these healthcare professionals in Azerbaijan and they can serve better in their field.
6. Academics: Pakistani universities are providing various scholarships for which students from Azerbaijan can apply, similarly Pakistani students may avail scholarship opportunities offered by Azerbaijani universities. There is also a need to increase the number of scholarship and fellowship opportunities in both the brotherly countries.
7. Entertainment Industry: Both the countries have similar cultures and they both can extend cooperation in producing movies and dramas. A few years back, I screened Azerbaijani film “Ali and Nino” in universities in Pakistan which was highly liked by the viewers, similarly Pakistani dramas and movies may also be introduced in Azerbaijan as well as songs etc.
8. In the defence sector: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have been conducting joint military exercises and exchanging visits of high-level military officials to enhance their defence cooperation. The two countries have also expressed support for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan have been exploring opportunities to enhance their energy cooperation in recent years, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG). Azerbaijan has been investing heavily in its LNG infrastructure and has the potential to become a major LNG exporter in the region. Pakistan, on the other hand, has been facing an acute shortage of natural gas and has been actively seeking new sources of supply to meet its energy needs. The recent visit of the Pakistani delegation headed by State Oil Minister Senaor Musadik Malik to Azerbaijan to negotiate the purchase of one cargo of LNG per month from Azerbaijan is a positive development in the bilateral energy cooperation between the two countries. The Pakistani authorities are reportedly negotiating with the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR to finalize the details of the LNG purchase agreement.
If the negotiations are successful, this agreement could pave the way for further cooperation in the energy sector between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. The purchase of LNG from Azerbaijan could help Pakistan diversify its sources of energy and reduce its dependence on traditional suppliers such as Qatar and Nigeria. For Azerbaijan, the agreement could provide a new market for its LNG exports and help boost its energy exports to the region. The potential is a promising development, and could lead to increased bilateral trade and economic ties in the future. Overall, the relationship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan can be characterized as brotherly and cooperative, with both countries expressing a desire to deepen their ties in various fields. However, the exact level of bilateral relations can be better assessed by examining the specific areas of cooperation and the extent to which these agreements and MoUs have been implemented.
—The writer is a Pakistani Climate Youth Leader, UN SDGs Advocate and an expert on Youth Development in the Global South.
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