AGP Executive Report

Climate & AI in Baku: UNFCCC Climate Week 4 continued in Baku with sessions on sustainable cities, water and agriculture, and how AI can strengthen early-warning systems—plus cybersecurity and data reliability for climate-resilient farming. Caspian Sea pressure: Azerbaijan’s Deputy Ecology Minister said the Caspian’s falling water level is already reshaping coastlines, ecosystems, and infrastructure, raising risks for species like seal and sturgeon. Renewables surge: Azerbaijan’s wind power output jumped sharply in Jan–Jun 2026, with officials expecting wind to multiply by end-2026 and solar to rise too—signaling green energy is moving from plans to real generation. Green energy skills: bp opened a modern renewable energy laboratory at ASOIU to train engineers in solar, wind and hydrogen through hands-on experiments and applied research. Digital economy push: ADA University and Azercell wrapped up the AI4Real Bootcamp, selecting top students for a new hackathon. Tech community launch: “MoveUP” launched as a non-profit coalition to accelerate Azerbaijan’s digital growth and AI adoption. Energy storage roadmap: Azerbaijan may present a regulatory approach for integrating renewables and energy storage by end-September. Mining update: AzerGold began first drilling-and-blasting steps at the Soyudlu gold deposit, alongside geotechnical monitoring. Agriculture support: New subsidy mechanisms were set for crops, livestock and fisheries, including higher support for modern irrigation and advanced greenhouses.

Green Energy & Climate Week: Baku Climate Action Week 2026 and UNFCCC Climate Week 4 kicked off in the capital, with panels on climate finance, carbon markets, and green industry innovation, including a session on advancing renewables via digital tech and regional cooperation. Energy Storage Roadmap: Azerbaijan’s renewable energy agency says a conceptual approach to energy storage integration could be presented by end of September, with work underway on grid “red lines” and battery support levels; the country currently has two 125 MW storage systems. Renewables Education Boost: bp donated a modern renewable energy laboratory to ASOIU, supporting solar, wind and hydrogen teaching plus applied research. AI Skills for Students: Azercell and ADA University wrapped up the AI4Real Bootcamp, selecting top students for a new hackathon. Digital Economy Push: “MoveUP” launched as a non-profit community backed by major tech and finance players to accelerate Azerbaijan’s digital growth and AI adoption. Defense Tech: President Aliyev visited the Navy as Azerbaijan tested locally developed armed and kamikaze naval USVs (SALVO and KAYRA) built with Turkish technology. Mining Development: AzerGold advanced Soyudlu gold operations with first drilling and blasting, alongside expanded geotechnical monitoring. Agriculture Tech Support: New subsidy mechanisms were set for livestock, fisheries, crops and greenhouses, including higher support for high-tech greenhouse facilities. Archaeology: Road construction in Jalilabad uncovered Bronze Age–Early Iron Age clay vessels, prompting further investigations.

Climate Diplomacy in Baku: UNFCCC Climate Week 4 has kicked off in Baku (through Sept. 11), with day one focused on energy transition, climate finance, and industrial decarbonization, aiming to keep Paris-aligned momentum going into COP31. Azerbaijan Tech & Culture: ANAS has published the third volume of an explanatory dictionary of Nasimi’s Azerbaijani-language works, mapping meanings, Sufi/Hurufi terms, and semantic shifts for researchers. Defense Tech Spotlight: President Ilham Aliyev and Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Azerbaijani Navy, reviewing advanced unmanned surface vessels SALVO (armed) and KAYRA (kamikaze) built at MIRAS and DEARSAN facilities. Energy Industry Shift: SOCAR and China Eximbank discussed a new chapter for Azerbaijan’s industrial future, while SOCAR-China cooperation signals more downstream, higher-value ambitions. Humanitarian Mine Action: Azerbaijan’s mine-action push continues with international conference coverage in Baku, stressing “peace infrastructure” funding and urban recovery standards. Regional Tech-Policy Link: A Wall Street Journal report says US “chip diplomacy” via Nvidia access was used to help broker Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, tying AI hardware approvals to negotiations.

AI “Chip Diplomacy” in the South Caucasus: The Wall Street Journal reports US negotiators used expanded access to Nvidia AI chips as leverage in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, tied to the Firebird data center in Hrazdan—an example of “chip diplomacy” turning advanced computing permits into foreign-policy bargaining power. Defense Tech Update: President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Azerbaijani Navy and reviewed production and testing of unmanned surface vessels SALVO (armed) and KAYRA (kamikaze), developed at MIRAS and DEARSAN facilities. Energy Industry Shift: SOCAR’s meeting with China Eximbank signals a push toward higher-value industrial growth, with downstream processing and petrochemical ambitions increasingly central to Azerbaijan’s energy strategy. Cybersecurity Push: OpenAI launched a $1bn initiative (“Daybreak for Frontline Defenders”) to protect government services from AI-assisted cyberattacks, partnering with MS-ISAC for training. Climate Risk Watch: WMO says El Niño is set to intensify into a very strong event through early 2027, raising risks of floods, droughts, and extreme heat. Regional Tech Integration: Coverage highlights how Türkiye’s fast-growing digital economy could deepen Azerbaijan’s integration along the Middle Corridor. Heritage & Memory: Reports document the destruction of Shusha’s Old Armenian-Russian cemetery and medieval khachkars, linking damage to redevelopment tied to water infrastructure.

AI Chip Diplomacy: The Wall Street Journal reports the US used expanded access to Nvidia AI chips as leverage in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, tied to the Firebird AI data center near the border—an example of “chip diplomacy” where export permits become a foreign-policy tool. Cybersecurity: OpenAI launched a $1 billion Daybreak program to protect government and public services from AI-assisted cyberattacks, partnering with MS-ISAC to train frontline defenders. Regional Tech Integration: Azerbaijan’s digital push is framed as aligning with Türkiye’s tech boom along the Middle Corridor, highlighting growing connectivity beyond energy and transport. Mine Action & Standards: Azerbaijan hosted the 4th International Mine Action Conference, with UN and local officials stressing mine action as “peace infrastructure” and calling for stronger international funding and urban recovery standards. Energy/Industry: Metatek won new airborne surveying contracts in Azerbaijan for hydrocarbon exploration, expanding modern gravity gradiometry coverage to about 20,000 km². Climate Risk: El Niño is forecast to intensify into a very strong event through early 2027, raising risks of floods, drought, and extreme heat. Education & Talent: AzerGold announced its next scholarship program for mining-sector university students, offering monthly support and internships.

Chip Diplomacy & Peace Talks: Armenia’s PM spokesperson says Nikol Pashinyan has a clear public mandate for peace with Azerbaijan, while the WSJ reports the US used expanded access to Nvidia AI chips as an incentive tied to Armenia’s “Firebird” AI data center. AI Cybersecurity: OpenAI launched a $1bn “Daybreak for Frontline Defenders” program to protect government and public services from AI-assisted cyberattacks, including training with MS-ISAC. Russian-Iran Tech: A Financial Times-linked investigation describes early-stage Russian-Iran military-technical cooperation under Project C430L, focused on ramjet propulsion for supersonic cruise missiles. Azerbaijan Youth & Skills: Sabah FC pledged AZN 10m for youth football via a new academy program, and AzerGold announced its next mining-sector scholarship competition for 2026–27. Energy & Geoscience: UK Metatek won airborne gravity gradiometry contracts in Azerbaijan, expanding surveys in Quba and the Lower Kura region for SOCAR and Gran Tierra. Archaeology & Culture: Excavations in Yardimli uncovered burial finds dating to the 9th–10th centuries BC, and Baku hosts a free “Echoes of the Past” exhibition linking ancient heritage with contemporary art. Digital Access: Azerfon (Nar) rolled out an updated Jestdili.az Azerbaijani sign-language dictionary with new features and an international section.

Nomadic Games science push: At the VI World Nomad Games, an international conference in Bishkek wrapped up with a resolution calling for an international scientific platform to keep nomadic-heritage research connected, with plans for digitization, open-access archives, and studies of traditional ecological knowledge. AI cybersecurity for public services: OpenAI launched a $1bn program (“Daybreak for Frontline Defenders”) to help protect essential government and public services from AI-assisted cyberattacks, including training with MS-ISAC. Climate risk update: The WMO says El Niño is set to intensify into a very strong event, with near-100% likelihood to persist through Feb 2027—raising flood, drought, and extreme-heat risks into 2027. Critical minerals diplomacy: US lawmakers heard how new trade corridors and partnerships in Africa and Central Asia could reduce dependence on China for critical minerals and rare-earth processing. Azerbaijan tech & energy links: Italy’s Meloni signalled expanded cooperation with Azerbaijan beyond energy, while SOCAR and Lummus outlined a roadmap to modernize refining and petrochemical capacity. Archaeology in Yardimli: Excavations uncovered burial remains and artifacts dating to the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, with possible older layers. Digital inclusion: Azerfon (Nar) updated its Jestdili.az Azerbaijani sign-language dictionary and added an international section.

AI in Hiring: The US federal government plans to use AI during interviews for some applicants under its Tech Force initiative, with CodeSignal reportedly used to assess technical skills—raising new questions about speed versus fair, unbiased decisions. Space & Earth Monitoring: India’s ISRO successfully launched the EOS-05 (GISAT-1A) Earth-observation satellite to provide round-the-clock monitoring for disasters, weather and agriculture. Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Cooperation: Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are expanding cultural, education and science ties, including plans for a conference on Azerbaijani thinker Yusif Qarabaghi. UN Education Reform: The UN General Assembly approved merging UN learning bodies and creating a new institute under the UN80 reforms, starting 1 January 2027. Energy & Industry: Lummus and SOCAR are developing a roadmap to boost Azerbaijan’s oil refining and petrochemical capacity. Mine Action Tech & Standards: A Baku panel on technology for safer humanitarian demining highlighted Azerbaijan’s mine-detection dog program and calls for stronger national capacity. Archaeology in Yardimli: Excavations uncovered burial remains and pottery linked to the Late Bronze/Early Iron Ages, with possible use into the 9th–10th centuries BC. Digital Inclusion: Azerfon’s Nar sign-language dictionary got a new version with updated features and an international section.

Energy & Industry: Lummus Technology and SOCAR are building a roadmap to expand Azerbaijan’s oil refining capacity and petrochemical capabilities under a June 2026 strategic cooperation deal. Fuel Supply: SOCAR Georgia Petroleum has imported its first 5,000-tonne EN 228 petrol shipment from Italiana Petroli (both within the SOCAR Group), boosting European-standard supply reliability for Georgia. Humanitarian Tech & Mine Action: A Baku panel on “Technology and Innovation for Safer and More Effective Humanitarian Demining” highlighted how advanced tools and training can speed safer clearance; UN officials also stress AI’s potential for demining. Missing Persons & Accountability: Azerbaijan reports 32 mass graves in liberated territories and DNA identifications for 327 missing people, with renewed calls to open criminal cases tied to grave discoveries. AI for Heritage: A Kazakh-language AI project using benchmarks and OCR-based digitisation aims to preserve Kazakh historical materials and improve language-focused model evaluation. Digital/Media Freedom: Azerbaijani outlets in exile say Meta blocked Instagram/Facebook pages after copyright complaints, alleging coordinated pressure on independent journalism. Regional Connectivity: Discussions around the Middle Corridor focus on cutting transit delays and making logistics interfaces work for investors—key for Azerbaijan’s role in east-west trade.

Mine Action & Urban Recovery: Azerbaijan’s 4th International Mine Action Conference opened in Baku, with President Ilham Aliyev saying demining is the foundation of safe urban return; officials cited 298,000 hectares cleared and 260,147 mines/unexploded ordnance neutralized since 2020, while warning that mines still block peacebuilding and economic reintegration. Tech in Demining: Azerbaijani officials and partners pushed for drones, AI, satellite-based survey and long-term financing; Israel’s ambassador said Israeli firms could demonstrate mine-clearance tech using AI and drones at the conference. Policy & Funding: Elchin Amirbayov urged mine action to be part of the South Caucasus peace agenda and called for predictable multi-year international support, not just emergency projects. Economy via Partnerships: Euronews highlighted how public-private partnerships are expanding in Azerbaijan, from digital infrastructure and water to logistics and tourism, with desalination projects cited as proof of long-term investor-government trust. Food Inflation Forecasting: A Central Bank study found imported food price changes can predict Azerbaijan’s retail food inflation about two months ahead using customs data. Digital Cooperation: Azerbaijan was approved as a member of the Digital Cooperation Organization, expanding regional digital policy and AI cooperation. Education & Research Links: Israel’s Bar-Ilan University delegation visited Azerbaijan Technical University to discuss joint research and dual-degree cooperation.

Humanitarian Tech & Peacebuilding: Azerbaijan used the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku to push for mine action as “peace infrastructure,” with officials citing large-scale clearance, hundreds of casualties, and the need for safer urban recovery. AI for Demining: UN officials said AI and advanced tools could revolutionize detection and neutralization, while also noting the sector is still early in adopting the tech. Regional Cooperation: ARMAC and ANAMA signed an MoU to expand mine-action capacity building, technical exchange, and research on emerging technologies. Education & AI Skills: Azercell-backed “SİMM – Süni İntellektlə Müasir Məktəb” is running practical AI training for 120+ teachers across Baku, Karabakh and Ganja, using a train-the-trainer model. Higher Education Mobility: The first group of 32 Azerbaijani students arrived in Kazakhstan (Kozybayev University), with more than 100 expected in 2026, spanning engineering and IT. Energy & Connectivity: Azerbaijan’s push for deeper Caspian and Middle Corridor cooperation continues, including talks involving CNOOC and SOCAR.

Climate & Research: AzTU and Yıldız Technical University launched the 14th Global Conference on Global Warming (GCGW-2026) in Baku, bringing nearly 200 researchers from 30 countries to share climate-change research and new approaches. AI in Education: UNEC started a Train-the-Trainer program for faculty led by Israeli AI experts, focusing on ethical AI use, prompt engineering, and AI-assisted teaching materials. Mine Action Tech & Policy: Azerbaijan hosted the 4th International Mine Action Conference on “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery,” with President Ilham Aliyev citing large-scale clearance (298k hectares; 260,147 mines/UXO neutralized) and calling for predictable international support; UN officials highlighted AI’s potential to speed safer demining while warning funding remains a global bottleneck. Innovation for Rail & Metro: Plug and Play × IDDA will seek startup solutions for operational challenges at Azerbaijan Railways and Baku Metro, aiming to turn ideas into pilot projects. Energy & Connectivity: SOCAR and China’s CNOOC advanced cooperation tied to Caspian offshore exploration and the Middle Corridor, while analysis notes corridor transit times and volumes have surged as shippers reroute around sanctions and the Red Sea. Education Talent Pipeline: PASHA Holding continues support for Holberton School Azerbaijan, reporting thousands of scholarship applications and AI-focused training outcomes.

Humanitarian Demining: President Ilham Aliyev opened Baku’s 4th International Mine Action Conference, stressing that urban recovery can’t start until land is safe, and calling for stronger international solidarity, predictable funding, and technology transfer; he said Azerbaijan has cleared 298k hectares and neutralized 260,147 mines/UXO. UN Support: The UN noted Azerbaijan’s progress—25.6% of contaminated areas released for safe use—and highlighted $146m allocated to mine action in 2024. Innovation for Transport Ops: Plug and Play and Azerbaijan’s innovation agency will seek startup solutions for operational challenges at ADY and Baku Metro, aiming to turn identified problems into pilot projects. Desalination Efficiency: Acwa and Veolia signed an MoU to optimize seawater desalination across design, chemicals, monitoring, and operations, targeting lower energy use and costs. Energy Tech Cooperation: SOCAR and China’s CNOOC signed an MoU to expand offshore oil & gas, refining/petrochemicals, and new technologies. Digital Ecosystem: Azerbaijan was admitted to the Digital Cooperation Organization, opening doors for digital policy exchange, training, and startup market access. AI Upskilling: Azercell and ADA University completed an AI training program for students. Cyber Safety: A scam site is reportedly trying to sell a fake GTA 6 PC leak for $50 by draining crypto wallets.

SCO Diplomacy: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan in Bishkek, with both sides pushing TRIPP connectivity and steps toward a final Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal. Energy & Tech Cooperation: SOCAR and China’s CNOOC signed an MoU to expand offshore oil and gas work, refining/petrochemicals, and joint upstream projects, with technology and services cooperation. Digital Growth: Azerbaijan was admitted to the Digital Cooperation Organization, opening doors for digital policy exchange, startup market access, and training/certification in AI and e-government. AI Skills for Students: Azercell and ADA University wrapped an AI4Real bootcamp for 26 selected students, boosting practical AI development. Water Security: The World Bank granted Azerbaijan $1.5m to prepare a climate-resilient, more efficient water supply plan for Baku, including digital water management and energy-efficiency measures. Industrial Output: Azerbaijan’s industrial zones hit 1.94bn manats in production in H1 2026, with 554.7m manats exported. Cyber Warning: A scam site is trying to sell a fake PC GTA 6 “leak” for $50 via crypto wallet approvals, flagged as wallet-draining malware.

SCO Counter-Terror Push: PM Narendra Modi used the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek to demand dismantling the full terror ecosystem—financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens—saying there can be “no place for double standards.” Eurasian Economic Angle for Azerbaijan: Analysis highlights how Azerbaijan’s SCO role is shifting from symbolic ties to practical cooperation across security, trade, investment, energy, transport, telecoms, agriculture, education and culture. Azerbaijan–China Legal Cooperation: A Chinese prosecutor-general delegation visited Baku, laying wreaths and signing a memorandum to expand legal cooperation and fight transnational crime. ICT Trade Snapshot: Azerbaijan’s ICT imports fell to $992.1m in 2025, with telecom equipment still the biggest share. Digital Economy Diplomacy: The Digital Cooperation Organization approved eight new member candidates, including Azerbaijan, aiming to expand digital-economy rulemaking. Missing Persons Conference in Baku: Azerbaijan will host the 4th International Conference under the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons, focusing on trust and modern forensic/DNA solutions. World Nomad Games & Science: Coverage of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek notes a scientific programme alongside sports and culture, with Russia flagged to host the 2028 edition.

ICT & Trade: Azerbaijan’s ICT imports slid to $992.1M in 2025 (down 10.2% y/y), with telecom equipment still the biggest slice at $569.3M. Digital Diplomacy: The Digital Cooperation Organization approved eight new member candidates for expansion to 24 states, including Azerbaijan and Kenya. AI & Open OS: openKylin 3.0 is pushing AI agents deeper into the operating system via KylinBot and automation tooling. Energy Minerals: Global investment in critical minerals fell 9%, even as demand for clean-tech minerals is projected to surge by 2050. Science & Education: GeoCamp at Baku State University brought students to astronomy observation and telescope training. Banking Tech: AccessBank launched AccessRadio, an online audio platform for finance, podcasts, and tech content. Regional Tech Cooperation: Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are exploring new scientific cooperation through ANAS talks.