Relations between Azerbaijan and African Union (AU)

The formation of the African Union (AU) can be considered as one of the major events that influenced the evolution in the entire continent. In July 1999, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) decided to convene an extraordinary session to accelerate the economic and political integration on the continent. On the 9^th of September 1999, the leaders of the Organisation of African Unity signed a declaration on its establishment.

During the summit held in Durban, South Africa in 2002, it was decided to officially launch the African Union, and the heads of state of the member states were invited to its first meeting.

Since the 15^th of January 2011, the Republic of Azerbaijan received observer status with the African Union (AU).

Shahin Abdullayev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the AU, represented Azerbaijan at the pledging conference on the Assistance to drought-and-famine-affected countries in the Horn of African, which was convened by the AU on the 25^th of August 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In 2011, the Agency for International Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AIDA) provided financial assistance to African countries suffering from the socio-economic and humanitarian crisis through the AU.

A visit of young specialists from African countries to the Republic of Azerbaijan was organised on the 23^rd to 29^th of September 2012 under the leadership of the AU Commission. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation was signed by and between the National Council of Youth Organisations of Azerbaijan and the Pan-African Youth Union.

From the 30^th of January to the 3^rd of February 2013, a delegation led by AU Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology Jean-Pierre Ezin visited Azerbaijan.

On the 24^th of September 2014, in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 748, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Elman Abdullayev, was also appointed Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the AU, with residence in Addis Ababa.

On the 6^th of May 2015, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the AU, Elman Abdullayev, presented his credentials to the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Ms Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma.

From the 28^th of September to the 1^st of October 2016, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Aisha Abdullahi visited Azerbaijan to participate in the Baku International Humanitarian Forum. During her visit, the Commissioner was received by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev. Further, during the visit, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, met with A. Abdullahi.

In December 2016, a presentation on the activities of the ASAN Service was held at the AU headquarters, and a stand reflecting the activities of the ASAN Service was set up.

On the 5^th to the 7^th of March 2017, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the AU, Elman Abdullayev, attended a special extraordinary meeting of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) at the invitation of the President of the PAP Roger Nkodo Dang.

On the 16^th of June 2017, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the AU, Elman Abdullayev, met with the newly elected President of the AU Commission, Mr Moussa Faki Mahatmat.

On the 23^rd to the 24^th of October 2017, President of the Pan-African Parliament Roger Nkodo Dang paid a visit to Azerbaijan.

During his visit to Addis Ababa on the 9^th of November 2017, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, met with Mr Moussa Faki Mahatmat, Chairman of the AU Commission, Mr Smail Chergui, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Mr Victor Harrison, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, and Ms Amira el Fadil, Commissioner for Social [Dr RJ1] Affairs of the African Union Commission.

On the 20^th to 24^th of November 2017, representatives of Azercosmos OJSC made a presentation at the 2^nd Meeting of the Specialised Technical Committee on Communications and Information Technologies at the AU Headquarters.

During the visit, a stand reflecting the activities of Azercosmos OJSC was set up at the AU Headquarters and a visit was organised for the Ministers of Communications and Information Technologies of African countries.

On the 22^nd to the 26^th of July 2018, a delegation led by EU Commissioner for Energy and Infrastructure, Amani Abou-Zeid, visited our country and met with Prime Minister N. Mammadov, Foreign Minister E. Mammadyarov, Transport, Communications and High Technologies Minister R. Guliyev, Minister of Energy P. Shahbazov, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency F. Naghiyev and Chairman of Azercosmos OJSC R. Nabiyev. Mr Amani Abou-Zeid also became acquainted with the “ASAN” service No. 3 and the Intelligent Transport Management Centre in Baku.

On the 23^rd of October 2018, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia hosted an extensive presentation ceremony on the priorities of our country`s chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement and Azerbaijan`s activities on the African continent in support of international development. The presentations were made by the Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO, ambassador on special assignments Elnur Sultanov, Deputy Chief of the International Security Agency Yalchyn Rafiyev and Deputy Chief of the Agency for International Development Aliya Aghazadeh. The main guest of the event was Quartey Thomas Kwesi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

At the next meeting of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) held in Baku on the 14^th to the 15^th of November 2018, the African continent was represented by a delegation led by the Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union, Amira El Fadil. During the visit, the Commissioner was received by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev, along with other WADA leaders. The commissioner also met with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Azad Rahimov.

On the 5^th to the 9^th of October 2019, at the invitation of the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Roger Nkodo Dang, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev visited Midrand, South Africa to attend the 3^rd session of the Pan-African Parliament. During the visit, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev met with the PAP President, as well as a number of African MPs. At the same time, Ambassador Abdullayev addressed African parliamentarians within the 3^rd session of the PAP.

A delegation led by African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs Mrs Minata Samate Sessuma visited Azerbaijan as part of the 18^th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement held in Baku on the 24^th to the 26^th of October 2019.

On the 24^th of October 2019, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mammadyarov, received a delegation led by the Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union, Mrs Minata Samate Sessuma, within the framework of the 18^th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku.

A delegation led by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Roger Nkodo Dang, visited Azerbaijan as part of the 18^th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement held in Baku on the 23^rd to  the 26^th of October 2019.

On the 23^rd of March 2020, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the African Union, E. Abdullayev, responded to the African Union’s call to fight the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by providing $ 20,000 in assistance to AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Amira Al Fadil.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, joined the online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group, which was held on the initiative of the Azerbaijani President and Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ilham Aliyev in response to COVID-19 on the 4^th of May 2020. The motto of the Summit was “United against COVID-19”.