President Ilham Aliyev receives a delegation led by Italy's Defense Minister

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on June 26, 2024. The delegation also included Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli.

President Ilham Aliyev has described this day as a landmark day in Azerbaijan-Italy relations, marking the opening of a new page in ties between the two countries and the commencement of cooperation in the military-technical sphere.

Highlighting Italy's well-developed military-technical industry, President Aliyev called the delivery of the C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft to Azerbaijan an indicator of the strong ties. President Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan and Italy cooperate across various sectors, with Italy being Azerbaijan's biggest trading partner in Europe. He added that bilateral trade turnover surpasses $15 billion. The President also acknowledged the successful operations of numerous Italian companies in Azerbaijan and their involvement in various projects.

President Ilham Aliyev underscored the significance of Azerbaijan-Italy cooperation in the oil and gas sector, extending beyond the two nations to encompass the entire European region. He emphasized that this collaboration is rooted in strong political ties and that the Joint Declaration "On Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Italy" forms the bedrock of these relations.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in preparation for COP29, which will be held in Azerbaijan this year. The President noted that the partnership extends beyond energy to encompass other areas, including education. He pointed to the establishment of the Italy-Azerbaijan University, which is already operational, and the ongoing construction of a new modern building and educational complex for the university. President Aliyev expressed his confidence that relations between Azerbaijan and Italy will continue to expand in the future.

Expressing his gratitude for the reception, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto extended his congratulations to the head of state on the occasion of June 26 - Armed Forces Day. The guest fondly recalled his previous meeting with the President of Azerbaijan. Emphasizing the significance of his visit to our country with a large delegation and the presence of Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli, Guido Crosetto expressed his satisfaction with the launch of cooperation in the field of defense industry.