The first Azerbaijan–Türkiye Think Tank Forum concluded on Monday in Shusha, bringing together leading analysts, experts and academics from both countries for a day of discussions on regional politics, strategic coordination and shared foreign policy priorities.
The forum, held at the Shusha Hotel, continued into private exchanges after the panel sessions ended. Participants reviewed the outcomes of the day’s debates, with proposals expected to be refined and later conveyed to the governments of both countries. Organisers noted that the role of think tanks is not to make decisions, but to prepare the intellectual groundwork on which governments base them.
The event was organised by the Centre for Analysis of International Relations, alongside Türkiye’s Strategic Research Centre. Opening remarks by AIR Centre Chairman Farid Shafiyev and SAM Chairman Polat Safi underlined the forum’s purpose in strengthening regional partnerships and expanding institutional cooperation between policy research institutions.
The first session focused on the foreign policy lines pursued by Baku and Ankara, highlighting areas of clear convergence rooted in the treaty bound strategic alliance between the two states. Experts examined cooperation across defence, trade and energy, as well as coordination in regions such as the Middle East and Central Asia. Azerbaijan’s growing role within the Central Asia platform, often described as transforming the 5 plus 1 format into an effective Central Asia 6, was noted as an important development for bilateral cooperation.
Discussions also touched on complex regional files, including political dynamics in Iraq and Syria, the wider situation in the Middle East, and the evolving context of relations with Iran. Analysts explored the extent to which improving economic and political ties between Baku and Tehran could develop further.
Throughout the day, speakers emphasised that while Azerbaijan and Türkiye are close allies under the Shusha Declaration, this does not imply identical positions on every issue. Experts said differences, where they exist, are managed through structured coordination and dialogue.
The forum featured three panel sessions covering foreign policy, economic cooperation, connectivity projects and regional integration frameworks. The event strengthened institutional ties between Azerbaijani and Turkish think tanks and laid the groundwork for future joint analytical initiatives.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German role in developing supply chains and higher-value production.
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power unit in Armenia as Yerevan weighs competing international offers, its head Alexey Likhachev said on Tuesday.
Freight on the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway could soon move faster across borders after Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye signed a new customs protocol aimed at cutting delays and streamlining transit.
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to expand health cooperation, with a focus on medicines, medical equipment and training healthcare workers, following talks between the two countries’ health ministers in Minsk on Tuesday (29 September).
Saudi Arabia is facing a widening security challenge from Yemen as Houthi forces consolidate recent territorial gains along the Red Sea coast and step up attacks on the kingdom.
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