President Ilham Aliyev addresses participants of 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. President of
the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants
of the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum.

The text of the address was published on the official website of
the President of Azerbaijan.

I warmly welcome you to the 2nd Azerbaijan International
Investment Forum.

It is gratifying that this Forum once again brings together in
Baku governments, international organizations, financial
institutions, leading companies, investors and business communities
from around the world.

The theme of this year's Forum - “Rebuilding Trust in a Fragmented World: The South Caucasus as a Pillar of Global Connectivity and Investment Stability” - is particularly relevant today. Global economic relations are changing rapidly, supply chains are being reshaped, and new transport, energy and technological connections are emerging. In this environment, stability, connectivity and reliable partnerships are becoming

increasingly important for investment. The emerging peace in the South Caucasus is creating new opportunities for regional cooperation, connectivity, trade and investment, while supporting deeper economic integration and diversification.

Azerbaijan's economy has demonstrated strong resilience amid
global uncertainty and geopolitical challenges. Economic
diversification is at the core of our strategic objectives, and the
non-oil sector has become a key driver of economic growth. Since
2020, real GDP growth in the non-oil sector averaged 5% annually,
while non-oil industry grew 1.5-fold and non-oil exports nearly
doubled. As a result, the share of the non-oil sector in GDP
reached 72% in 2025.

This momentum rests on a stable and predictable business environment. Macroeconomic stability, investments and favourable entrepreneurial environment established in our country provide a solid foundation for long-term investor confidence. Azerbaijan's strategic geographical location, transport and logistics capabilities, well-developed infrastructure in economic zones, tax and customs incentives, as well as public-private partnership

mechanisms and joint investment funds established with partner countries, offer investors broad opportunities to participate in sustainable projects and to build partnerships that bring technology, capital and expertise to the whole region.

Our country's global strategic partnerships and growing foreign
investment in the non-oil sector are paving the way for deeper
integration into global value chains in areas such as
manufacturing, trade, energy, digital transformation, artificial
intelligence and advanced technologies.

These positive trends have also been recognized by international
rating agencies. Fitch and Moody's have upgraded Azerbaijan's
sovereign credit ratings to investment grade, with the outlook for
the next period assessed as “stable” and “positive” respectively.
Our financial resilience is further underscored by strategic
currency reserves, which exceeded 110% of GDP at the end of
2025.

Located at the intersection of the East-West and North-South
corridors, Azerbaijan has become an important link and gateway
between Asia and Europe. The Middle Corridor links Central Asia
across the Caspian Sea with the South Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe,
while the emerging Zangezur Corridor, also known as the TRIPP
connectivity route, will further strengthen Azerbaijan's role as a
regional hub, and create new opportunities for trade, investment
and industrial cooperation across Eurasia.

Azerbaijan is a reliable energy partner for a growing number of
countries. Our vision increasingly extends beyond energy supply to
the development of green energy corridors, enabling the integration
of renewable energy into regional markets and strengthening
connectivity between Azerbaijan, the wider South Caucasus, Central
Asia and Europe.

Beyond traditional energy sector, Azerbaijan offers significant
opportunities in manufacturing, transport and logistics, renewable
energy, digital technologies, agriculture and food processing,
tourism, infrastructure and other high-value sectors, including the
reconstruction and development opportunities emerging in the
liberated territories. Particular importance is attached to
projects that introduce advanced technologies, raise productivity,
create skilled employment and strengthen our integration into
regional and global value chains.

Modern infrastructure, industrial parks, the Alat Free Economic
Zone and public-private partnership mechanisms provide a strong
basis for such cooperation. We will continue to improve these
instruments and to create conditions that allow investors to
implement long-term projects with confidence.

Our approach to investment goes beyond attracting capital. We
value technology, expertise, innovation and access to new markets,
and seek partnerships that create sustainable value for investors,
while strengthening the modernization and competitiveness of
Azerbaijan's economy. The 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment
Forum provides an important platform to advance these
partnerships.

The results of the First Azerbaijan International Investment
Forum clearly demonstrated rising interest to Azerbaijan. Last
year, investment agreements worth over 10 billion US dollars were
signed, more than 7 billion of which related to the non-oil
sector.

This year the geography of participation has expanded further,
with broader representation from international institutions,
investors and leading companies - reflecting both confidence in
Azerbaijan and the growing economic significance of the wider
region. I expect that within the framework of the 2nd Azerbaijan
International Investment Forum, significant investment projects
will be launched with international investors and partner
companies.

I am confident that the discussions in Baku will generate
concrete initiatives and long-term cooperation, contributing to
stronger economic ties, greater connectivity and shared prosperity
across the region.

I wish the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum every
success, and all participants fruitful discussions and mutually
beneficial partnerships," the address reads.

Source: https://www.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/4227762.html

© 2026 Trend News Agency. All rights reserved.