Institute for Development and Diplomacy

📄Roadmap for a Sustainable Investment Strategy: Azerbaijan’s Selective Investment Approach in Uzbekistan
By Nargiz Azizova

The paper examines the legal framework, scale, and strategic significance of Azerbaijan’s investment engagement in Uzbekistan, comparing it with major investors and assessing its role within broader Turkic cooperation mechanisms.

➡️ https://l1nq.com/xpycgu1

🗓️Save the Date!

The 20th Baku Summer Energy School will take place on 6–17 July 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This year’s theme is Energy Security and Innovation.

BSES 2026 will bring together international experts, policymakers, industry leaders, and participants to discuss the future of energy in a rapidly changing world.

Topics will include energy security, geopolitics, energy markets, renewable development, innovation, finance, energy corridors, and the Caspian region’s role in global energy systems.

The program will also include a field component to Garabagh.

U.S.🇺🇸–Azerbaijan🇦🇿 Relations, Energy Security, and Regional Peace

As global energy markets face growing uncertainty, former U.S. Ambassador Matthew Bryza joins to discuss the future of U.S.–Azerbaijan relations, President Donald Trump’s message to Baku Energy Week 2026, the extension of the suspension of Section 907, regional energy security, and the strategic implications of recent U.S.–Armenia agreements.

➡️https://youtu.be/itaj9S_flA4

On June 3, IDD Director Dr. Fariz Ismailzade and Director for Policy Research Prof. Damjan Krnjević participated in the First International Scientific Conference “Return to Western Azerbaijan: A New Stage of the National Idea,” co-organized by Baku State University and the Western Azerbaijan Community.

Dr. Fariz Ismailzade moderated the 1st panel discussion on “The Return and the Region’s New Peace Architecture,” emphasizing the importance of the Return Concept for sustainable peace, mutual trust, and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Prof. Damjan Krnjević spoke at the panel “Return in the Context of International Law and New Realities.” He drew on his own postwar peacebuilding experience in the Balkans as a senior Serbian official, noting that the question of return should be framed as a “rights-based, dignity-based, and sovereignty-compatible demand for justice” that strengthens, not weakens, peace and reconciliation efforts.

🔹EU and the Middle Corridor

with Rein Dekkers, Eastern Partnership Envoy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 🇳🇱.

The discussion focused on Eastern Partnership, regional connectivity, and shifting geopolitical realities.

➡️ https://youtu.be/iqzhyyTdEa0

🔹New IDDTalks episode
The Middle Corridor in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape

The Middle Corridor is emerging as a vital bridge connecting Europe and Asia, reshaping regional trade and connectivity amid evolving geopolitical realities.

Insightful discussions with Bernhard Kelkes, Special Connectivity Envoy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, highlighted the growing importance of strategic partnerships and sustainable transport networks across the region.

➡️ https://youtu.be/ee9fb9LhjlQ

On June 2, IDD held GPLS session on “Regional Connectivity and the Middle Corridor” with Bernhard Kelkes, Special Connectivity Envoy, and Rein Dekkers, Eastern Partnership Envoy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The discussion highlighted the growing importance of regional connectivity in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment. Key topics included the strategic role of the Middle Corridor in global trade routes and the significance of secure and resilient transport networks.

On June 2, IDD Director Dr. Fariz Ismailzade and Director for Policy Research Prof. Damjan Krnjević participated in a special session on Clean Energy Innovation and Regional Cooperation: Scaling Solutions for a Sustainable Future, held within the framework of Baku Energy Week 2026.

Dr. Ismailzade moderated a panel discussion focused on stronger regional cooperation, supportive policies, and increased access to financial resources.

Prof. Krnjević spoke at a panel titled “Gas Markets – Infrastructure, Strategy & Geopolitics.”

As part of his visit to Baku for Baku Energy Week, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Secretary General of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), met with Dr. Fariz Ismailzade, Director of IDD.

The discussion focused on issues of shared interest and opportunities for strengthening collaboration between the respective institutions.

IDD has started a new project in partnership with State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan, focused on the “Great Return” Program.

As part of this initiative, a comprehensive survey project will be conducted to better understand the social, demographic, health, and economic conditions of displaced communities. The project will also assess employment status, professional skills, and education levels, while exploring digital literacy and access to electronic services.

Through research, data collection, and analysis, this project aims to generate insights that can support informed decision-making and contribute to a sustainable and inclusive return process.