Baghdad, Iraq:  Azerbaijan and Iraq have held another round of political consultations aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new avenues for cooperation. The discussions took place during the visit of Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Yalchin Rafiyev, to Baghdad on April 20.

According to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, the second round of consultations brought together representatives from both foreign ministries to review the current state of Azerbaijan-Iraq relations and discuss future prospects in various areas including politics, trade, economy, humanitarian issues, and interparliamentary cooperation.

The two sides also examined ways to expand collaboration within international platforms such as the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. A significant focus was placed on joint efforts under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), especially in the lead-up to COP29.

During the visit, Deputy Minister Rafiyev met with Iraq’s Minister of Communications, Hiyam Al-Yasiri, who also co-chairs the Azerbaijan-Iraq Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation. Both officials highlighted the vital role of the commission in advancing bilateral cooperation, expressing optimism that its upcoming session in Baku would inject fresh momentum into economic and humanitarian partnerships.

Environmental collaboration was also on the agenda. Rafiyev held talks with Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Environment, Jassim Abdulaziz Hamadi, where discussions centered around Azerbaijan’s leadership of COP29 and the potential for deepened climate-related cooperation.

In addition, Rafiyev visited the Rewaq Baghdad Center for Public Policy, where he met with the center’s director, Abbas Al-Anbari, and participated in a roundtable discussion with researchers and policy experts. He presented a comprehensive overview of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, its chairmanship of COP29, and the country’s approach to key regional and international matters.

Rafiyev also touched on Azerbaijan’s ongoing peace initiatives with Armenia and the reconstruction efforts in areas liberated from occupation, underlining the country’s commitment to lasting regional stability and development.