Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom have agreed on the text of a strategic partnership document that is expected to be signed by President Ilham Aliyev and the British prime minister. The two governments plan to begin practical work before the signing ceremony.
UK Minister of State for Trade Lord Anas Sarwar announced the agreement on October 6 at the eighth meeting of the Azerbaijan-UK Joint Intergovernmental Commission in Baku.
According to Sarwar, the two governments have also agreed to establish a strategic partnership working group. The new framework is expected to cover economic growth, investment, innovation, energy, education, infrastructure, defense and security.
The British minister said the agreement followed his meeting with President Aliyev. He described Azerbaijan as part of the United Kingdom’s strategic and economic future, as well as its future security agenda.
UK Investment Exceeds $39 Billion
Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said total British investment in Azerbaijan has exceeded $39 billion, keeping the United Kingdom the country’s largest foreign investor.
Trade between the two countries rose by 67% in 2025. In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade increased roughly sixfold to $3.6 billion, while Azerbaijani exports to the United Kingdom grew 24-fold, according to the minister.
London expects investment flows to increase in both directions. British officials see the next phase of cooperation extending beyond traditional energy into the digital sector, cybersecurity, infrastructure and new commercial projects.
Britain Invited to Join Green Energy Corridors
Baku invited British companies to participate in green energy corridor projects designed to connect the Caspian region and Central Asia with European markets. One route would run through Nakhchivan and Türkiye using the TRIPP corridor.
Shahbazov said British company Xlinks has joined the work and signed a memorandum with the Green Corridor Alliance. Other areas of cooperation include the Shafag solar power plant and plans to supply the Sangachal terminal with clean electricity.
Agreement on the text does not yet bring the document into force, and no date has been announced for its signing by the two leaders. The decision to launch the working group beforehand indicates that Baku and London intend to move from a political framework to specific projects.
Original report: Vesti Baku