OMM Redaksiyası
The Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) have signed an agreement to strengthen international development and humanitarian cooperation.
The memorandum was signed in Baku on the sidelines of a conference titled “Strengthening global solidarity through humanitarian assistance and development cooperation,” held to mark the 15th anniversary of AIDA’s establishment. Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev and TİKA President Abdullah Eren signed the document.
Speaking at the conference, Abdullah Eren said AIDA had established itself as an important partner in international development over the past 15 years and had earned a strong reputation among its partners.
Although AIDA is one of the younger institutions among international development agencies, the results it has achieved have already attracted the attention of more experienced organizations, he said. Eren described AIDA’s work as a continuation of Azerbaijan’s centuries-old traditions of solidarity and charity.
The TİKA president highlighted Azerbaijan’s transformation from a country that had faced the consequences of occupation, as well as refugee and internally displaced person challenges, into a reliable and respected donor state. He said Azerbaijan’s experience was particularly significant for developing countries.
AIDA, which operates under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was established in 2011. Over the past 15 years, the agency has provided assistance to more than 140 countries and allocated approximately $400 million through bilateral and multilateral channels.
AIDA’s areas of activity include healthcare, education, disaster response and institutional capacity-building. More than 50 African countries have also benefited from the agency’s assistance programs.
The memorandum will open a new stage in development cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye. The parties plan to implement joint initiatives in several African countries, including vocational education and capacity-building programs.
The conference also addressed the need for international cooperation to go beyond emergency humanitarian assistance and focus on long-term development and support for local capacities. Participants stressed the importance of developing sustainable solutions at a time when conflict, forced displacement and humanitarian crises are affecting millions of people.
