Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan’s fintech sector posts growth as digital payments expand and regulatory reforms intensify
By April 2025, the monthly volume of cashless transactions using payment cards approached AZN10bn.
CAUCASUS BLOG: Baku's performance art of multilateralism
A critical look at Azerbaijan's Global South agenda.
EU sanctions Turkey’s jihadists in Syria for slaughtering Alawites
Militias designated by Council of Ministers represent a failure by Ankara to organise militant groups during the Syria War.
Azerbaijan casino push aligns with business plans of president’s former son-in-law
The Azerbaijani parliament is set to adopt legislation to legalise casinos on artificial islands — which would pave the way for Emin Agalarov’s ‘Absheron Las Vegas’ project.
CAUCASUS BLOG: Azerbaijan’s sealed land borders serve power, not security
Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Azerbaijan remains the only country in the region to keep its land borders closed, not only to foreign nationals but also to its own citizens.
COMMENT: What does the Israel-Iran confrontation mean for Azerbaijan?
Geopolitics in the Caucasus was already unstable before the war between Israel and Iran broke out at the weekend. Now it has become more confused and threatens to destabilise the region further.
Iran-Israel war draws dangerously close to Azerbaijan as rockets seen from border
Tensions between Iran and Israel have reached a dangerous proximity to Azerbaijan’s borders, with multiple Israeli and Iranian missile launches reportedly visible from the border district of Julfa in Nakhchivan.
Airlines scrap week’s worth of Turkey flights to Iran, Iraq and Jordan as Israel keeps up its bombing of Iranians
To avoid danger zone, aircraft diverted to airports in locations including Istanbul, Baku and Cyprus.
Israeli embassies worldwide suspend operations
Israeli diplomatic missions globally have suspended operations amid the ongoing Israeli military operation against Iran which has killed nearly 80 people.
Russia bringing in de facto visa regime for Central Asia nationals, say critics
Rights campaigners, meanwhile, hit out at digital controls on migrants in country that they say will be used to corner people into joining armed forces.
Hungary’s MVM joins $2.9bn Shah Deniz gas project in Azerbaijan
Hungarian state-owned energy group MVM has secured a 5% stake in the next phase of Azerbaijan’s flagship Shah Deniz gas field, joining a $2.9bn development led by BP.
Hungary's MOL signs onshore exploration agreement with Azerbaijan's SOCAR
MOL has signed key terms for an exploration, development and production sharing agreement with Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR for the Shamakhi-Gobustan region of the country.
BP acquires stakes in Karabagh and ADUA blocks, approves $2.9bn Shah Deniz Compression project
BP has deepened its presence in Azerbaijan’s offshore oil and gas sector with two major moves.
M360 GSMA Eurasia event spotlights rich promise of mobile tech, 5G and AI
Mobile technologies and services said to have generated 7.7%, or $220bn, of GDP across region last year.
Azerbaijan touts $20bn investments and green energy pact as Turkic bloc eyes deeper economic ties
President Ilham Aliyev used the informal summit of the Organisation of Turkic States to showcase his country’s growing regional economic influence.
EBRD2025: EBRD backs Azerbaijan’s green transition with rising investments
Lender’s total investment in Azerbaijan now exceeds $4bn, as eyes hydrogen, connectivity and energy efficiency.
Eurasia a significant source of methane emissions – report
Russia and Turkmenistan are primary offenders.
COMMENT: Amid shrinking civic space, will the EBRD still uphold its democratic mandate?
As the global Democracy Index recorded a historic low in 2024, institutions tasked with upholding democratic values are under increasing pressure to adapt.
EBRD cuts 2025 growth forecasts citing tariffs and global uncertainty
Development bank lowers forecasts for Emerging Europe, Central Asia and North Africa as slowdowns in Germany and China take their toll.
Every $1 drop in oil price could cost Azerbaijan $300mn in exports, $150mn in budget revenue, ING says
Fluctuations in global oil prices remain a critical vulnerability for Azerbaijan’s economy.