live Ceasefire strains as Israel intensifies attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon killing hundreds - Thursday 9 April
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace d...
Azerbaijan has proposed creating a joint Start-up and Innovation cooperation platform to strengthen regional collaboration and accelerate technological development across member countries.
This was revealed by the country's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov at a ministerial meeting of the Organization of Turkic States in Baku on Friday.
Azerbaijan has been actively advancing its startup and innovation ecosystem as part of its broader strategy to diversify the economy and foster new-generation entrepreneurship.
Addressing the 2nd meeting of the Ministers of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Jabbarov emphasised that startups and innovation are central to enhancing economic competitiveness and developing the non-oil sector.
He pointed to successful national initiatives such as the “Sabah.hub” innovation centre, which connects young professionals, startups, and investors, supporting them from idea generation to commercialisation.
The related Sabah Venture Fund has been investing in local innovation projects and building a new wave of technology companies, reflecting Azerbaijan’s long-term commitment to embedding innovation into its economic model.
The Minister’s proposal to establish the “Turkic States Startup and Innovation Cooperation Platform” aims to create a unified framework for collaboration among member countries.
According to him, the platform would coordinate efforts in innovation, digital economy, and startup development, while enabling the exchange of expertise, technological resources, and best practices across the Turkic world.
He added that such a mechanism would accelerate innovative growth and open new opportunities for young entrepreneurs to develop and scale their projects within the region’s expanding markets.
Jabbarov also called for the creation of a “Turkic Patent Organization (CTPO)” under the OTS Working Group on Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, describing intellectual property cooperation as vital to scientific and industrial progress.
He further highlighted the previously proposed “Turkic States Metrology Organization (TÜRKMET)”—an initiative first raised at the OTS Summit in Astana in 2023—as another key step toward deepening regional economic integration and enhancing technological and research capacity.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Construction has begun on a major new solar power project in Xizang, as China continues to expand its renewable energy capacity and push towards a greener future.
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the U.S. after Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. The warning came from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Lithuania’s Prime Minister’s visit to Azerbaijan on 9 April signals a deepening strategic dialogue between Baku and European partners. Analysts say economic interests and geopolitical shifts are driving closer engagement.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday (9 April) that restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a vital interest for both Italy and the European Union, pledging coordination with international partners to ensure safe passage.
Kazakhstan says oil exports via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) remain stable after drone strikes on facilities near Novorossiysk, despite damage to key infrastructure and rising risks to a major export route.
Israel launched its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since hostilities escalated last month, killing over 100 people, even as Hezbollah halted attacks under a disputed U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
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