Azerbaijan has established a strategic partnership with yet another country. On the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Dublin on 12 November, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland adopted a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership. The document was signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The Declaration formalises relations that have developed successfully over several decades, dating back to the historic visit by national leader Heydar Aliyev to London in February 1994. During that visit, Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom signed a Joint Declaration on Friendship and Cooperation. Today, this relationship has evolved into a framework for an even higher level of bilateral engagement.
The Declaration sets out strategic cooperation in several areas, including defence and security, trade and investment, education, and innovation. The section on defence cooperation has attracted particular attention, as security issues have increasingly come to the forefront of international affairs.
Economic relations between Azerbaijan and the UK have
Economic relations between Azerbaijan and the UK have a long and highly successful history. Notably, bilateral trade reached $3.7207 billion in the first nine months of 2026. According to the State Customs Committee, Azerbaijan’s exports to the UK increased 14.4-fold year on year. During the reporting period, trade with the UK accounted for approximately 10 per cent of Azerbaijan’s total trade turnover, while exports to the country represented 14.5 per cent of Azerbaijan’s overall export volume.
These are substantial figures. When the UK’s role in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector, particularly through British company BP, is also taken into account, the scale and significance of bilateral economic relations become even clearer.
Azerbaijan has established strategic partnership agreements with numerous countries, including all major global powers and states that play leading roles in their respective regions. On 12 November, the UK joined this group. In fact, Baku has always regarded London as a strategic partner. British interests in the South Caucasus, both overt and less visible, have historically been present. Following the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence, the UK became an important source of support for the newly established state. This support was felt in both visible and less tangible ways across the political and economic spheres.
The Declaration signed in Dublin places defence
The Declaration signed in Dublin places defence and security cooperation at the top of its agenda, demonstrating the priority both countries attach to these issues. While such documents generally begin by addressing economic and political relations or diplomatic engagement, the Azerbaijan-UK Declaration on Strategic Partnership gives precedence to defence and security cooperation.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan develops defence cooperation with other countries at different levels, ranging from legally binding treaties on alliance and mutual assistance to political charters and declarations on strategic partnership.
Under the Declaration, the two sides will promote cooperation in the defence sector, with particular emphasis on personnel training, capacity building and interoperability. They will also explore opportunities to expand cooperation in the defence industry, including through the implementation of joint initiatives in areas of mutual interest. Both countries intend to strengthen their engagement across a broad range of priority security areas in response to evolving security challenges and threats.
Shortly after the Second Karabakh War, in January
Shortly after the Second Karabakh War, in January 2021, then-British Ambassador to Baku James Sharp met with Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov. During the meeting, Ambassador Sharp pledged to make every effort to further advance Azerbaijan-UK relations, particularly in the military sphere. He also stressed that, within the framework of bilateral cooperation, the UK could assist Azerbaijan with clearing liberated territories of landmines and unexploded ordnance.
In August this year, UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Duncan Norman made the following statement at a press conference: “By supporting the development of Azerbaijan’s own capabilities, we aim to further deepen our defence cooperation through training based on British expertise, closer defence ties, and new opportunities for collaboration. The UK is proud to have been one of the first international partners to support demining efforts in Azerbaijan, and we look forward to continuing this support to ensure the safe return of former internally displaced persons.”
The ambassador’s statement, the visit to Baku by UK Minister of State for Defence Lord Vernon Coaker in late 2025, and the signing of a bilateral defence cooperation plan for 2026–2027 have brought relations between the two countries to a new level. Cooperation now covers a wide range of areas, including military education, personnel training, cybersecurity, military medicine, the defence industry and joint military exercises.
At present, one of the most significant contributions
At present, one of the most significant contributions made by the British side to Azerbaijan’s security efforts concerns addressing the consequences of Armenian aggression and occupation. The UK is among Azerbaijan’s key international partners in the humanitarian demining of liberated territories, providing consistent financial, technical and expert assistance. The British side maintains close cooperation with the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA). In September, ANAMA’s leadership and Ambassador Duncan Norman held discussions on new projects aimed at accelerating the safe return of formerly displaced persons to their homes.
British assistance includes technical support and advanced technologies, as well as financial and institutional backing.
For example, British company RPS Energy Ltd, in cooperation with ANAMA, has implemented a Remote Area Mine Survey (RAMS) system. The technology uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artificial intelligence to detect explosive ordnance. In December 2025, the British Embassy announced the launch of a new joint project with ANAMA aimed at improving the professional skills of deminers and using specially trained animals to detect mines.
It is also worth noting that the UK
It is also worth noting that the UK government has repeatedly allocated targeted funding, including grants worth £500,000, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to purchase essential equipment and strengthen the technical capabilities of Azerbaijani demining teams. In addition, the British non-governmental organisation MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is involved in operations across the liberated territories, contributing its expertise in risk assessment and land clearance.
Military instructor training is another particularly important area of cooperation. In December 2025, a graduation ceremony was held at the Azerbaijan Army Training and Education Centre for participants who had completed a four-week Instructor Training Course organised with the participation of British and Czech instructors. The programme is designed to improve the professional qualifications of Azerbaijani military personnel and strengthen the country’s national capacity to train military specialists.
Another significant development took place in October 2025, when the UK lifted its arms embargo on Azerbaijan and Armenia. This decision opened up new legal opportunities for expanding military-technical cooperation. The embargo, based on the OSCE’s 1992 recommended arms embargo, was lifted following progress in the peace process and in connection with the agreements reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington.
Although the removal of the restrictions does not
Although the removal of the restrictions does not necessarily mean that British weapons will immediately become part of either country’s military arsenal, it gives London greater flexibility and creates opportunities to expand its engagement with Baku across a broader range of areas.
In March 2025, the British Embassy in Baku announced the appointment of the first-ever British resident defence attaché to Azerbaijan. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Gavin Tarbard. This is a historic step that underscores the strengthening of the UK-Azerbaijan partnership and will open new opportunities for cooperation in the spheres of defence and security,” the diplomatic mission said.
Consequently, relations between London and Baku in the fields of defence and security can reasonably be described as moving away from a previously limited form of engagement towards a systematic and structured partnership.
