Search
Close this search box.

US news portal: Oklahoma’s partnership with Azerbaijan demonstrates our common vision

The U.S.-based The Oklahoman news portal has published an article by Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to the country Khazar Ibrahim.

Headlined “Oklahoma’s partnership with Azerbaijan demonstrates our common vision”, the article reads:

“Almost exactly 20 years after my first trip to Oklahoma as a junior diplomat, I will be visiting our partner state this week as the Ambassador of Azerbaijan. Then, my mentor, Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev, instructed me to explore the opportunities for cooperation since we were starting a State Partnership Program with the Oklahoma National Guard.

Today, our track record is proudly expansive. In July 2021, several days after my new appointment, the first U.S. delegation I engaged with in Azerbaijan was from Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt and his team were the best embodiment of the American culture: open, engaging and patriotic. During the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, successful cooperation with Oklahoma was hailed and Gov. Stitt looked forward to strengthening our partnership and connecting Oklahoma companies with the many economic development opportunities in Azerbaijan. Indeed, Azerbaijan, encompassing almost the two-thirds of the strategically located South Caucasus economy and demography, awaits more businesses from Oklahoma. Renewable energy, information technologies, logistics and agriculture are the key areas to explore.

We are also eager to host more students and ordinary citizens to demonstrate the best of our hospitality, ancient culture and vibrant society.

On the other hand, Azerbaijani companies are very interested to invest and our youths are filling the ranks of students in Oklahoma. We will seek more opportunities to deepen our engagement during the trip.

Meanwhile, our cooperation with Oklahoma is also a serious contribution to overall Azerbaijan-U.S. partnership, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Involvement of American energy companies in global energy and transportation projects in Azerbaijan has been instrumental in ensuring Europe’s energy security and protecting key U.S. national interests. The eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor (which delivers Caspian gas from Azerbaijan to Europe through a system of connected pipelines) Advisory Council, held in Baku in February, reaffirmed the strategic energy partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union based on shared goals of long-term energy security, security of supply and the green energy transition.

Azerbaijan’s participation in NATO and U.S.-led operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has demonstrated our common vision and joint capabilities. It is not a surprise that around half of all the flights during the operation in Afghanistan took place over Azerbaijan and our troops were among the last four nations defending Kabul Airport together with American, British and Turkish friends. Our partnership with the Oklahoma National Guard is one of 85 U.S. National Guard partnerships around the world and has played a big role for our peacekeepers’ interoperability. Early this month, members of the Oklahoma National Guard visited the Peacekeeping Brigade of Azerbaijan Armed Forces to assist with strategic planning and unit training and help attain NATO certification.

We took the words of Will Rogers, whose statue Gov. Stitt presented to President Aliyev, seriously. He once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” So we don’t sit. We do what the students at Oklahoma State University, which I will visit, proudly call for: “Ride, ride, ride, ride, Ride ’em Cowboys, Right down the field!” I know that we will ride to more and greater achievements together with the people of the Sooner State and the United States of America.”

Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency