Azerbaijan, Guinea-Bissau hold first political consultation meeting

An Azerbaijani government mission, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, visited Guinea-Bissau to strengthen bilateral cooperation in political, economic, humanitarian, and other sectors, Report informs referring to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

The visit also aimed to advance high-level collaboration within international organizations.

During the visit, the delegation was received by Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

Meetings were also held with Prime Minister Rui Duarte de Barros and Foreign Minister Carlos Pinto Pereira, covering various aspects of diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Additionally, the Azerbaijani delegation participated in an expanded meeting with Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Integration, Soares Sambú. The meeting was attended by officials from Guinea-Bissau’s environmental, biodiversity, natural resources, agriculture, and defense sectors, as well as the head of the Petroguin oil company.

Discussions highlighted the growing ties between the two nations in recent years, fostering deeper cooperation. Both sides recognized the potential for collaboration in areas such as oil and gas, green energy, agriculture, fisheries, humanitarian initiatives, and education. The importance of establishing a bilateral legal framework in relevant fields was also emphasized.

As part of the visit, the first official political consultations between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Communities were conducted.

The consultations were co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev of Azerbaijan and State Secretary for International Cooperation Fatumata Jau of Guinea-Bissau. Discussions covered bilateral political and economic relations, as well as cooperation within international organizations, including the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The Azerbaijani government mission included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Defense Industry, Economy, and Agriculture. Officials from the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), the Azerbaijan Investment Promotion Foundation, and Azergold CJSC also participated in the visit.