Dr Huseyn Rahimli from the Azerbaijan Embassy being congratulated by South African Human Settlements Director General Alex Moemi at the 108th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in Pretoria this week.
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The 108th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was commemorated in Pretoria this week, with Head of Mission Dr Huseyn Rahimli hailing the occasion as “a testament to our nation’s enduring spirit” while pledging deeper cooperation with South Africa.
Speaking to diplomats, government officials, and representatives of international organisations, Dr Rahimli traced Azerbaijan’s historic journey from the founding of the ADR on May 28, 1918 - the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim East and the region’s first democratic, secular state - to its modern achievements as a sovereign nation.
“With the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the Azerbaijani people laid the foundation for a sovereign state governed by a parliamentary system, declaring their commitment to democratic values, human rights and freedoms,” Dr Rahimli said.
After regaining independence from the USSR on October 18, 1991, Azerbaijan navigated internal instability under National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
The envoy noted Aliyev’s early declaration of sovereignty in 1990 when he replaced the Soviet flag with the Azerbaijani tricolor in Nakhchivan. His tenure saw Azerbaijan join the Council of Europe, launch the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, and adopt the 1995 Constitution that solidified the country as a democratic, secular, and legal state.
Dr Rahimli described the restoration of territorial integrity in 2020 as a new era of national pride. Following Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War and the 23-hour anti-terror operations in September 2023, he said the national flag now “flies proudly across our liberated lands".
Post-conflict reconstruction in Garabagh and Eastern Zangezur was highlighted as one of the world’s most ambitious post-conflict reconstruction and urban development programmes, aimed at restoring infrastructure and enabling displaced citizens to return home.
Under President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has positioned itself as a vital corridor between East and West, Dr Rahimli said. He cited the Trans-Caspian East-West transportation corridor, TANAP, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which has delivered more than 40 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Europe in nearly four years.
The envoy also pointed to Azerbaijan’s global leadership through its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, hosting COP29 in 2024, and hosting UN-Habitat’s 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku from May 17-22, 2026.
WUF13 featured the first-ever Summit of Heads of State and Government within the Forum, signaling that housing and urban transformation are being treated as issues of highest-level political priority.
The South African flag was displayed alongside that of Azerbaijan at the 108th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in Pretoria this week.
Image: SUPPLIED
“Azerbaijan values its growing relationship with South Africa, grounded in mutual respect and shared aspirations for peace and development,” Dr Rahimli stated.
Diplomatic relations were established on April 29, 1992, with cooperation expanding across trade, energy, education, and culture.
The next round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs is expected in Pretoria in June-July 2026. The diplomat noted mutually beneficial cooperation within international organisations and highlighted South Africa’s 80-member delegation to WUF13, led by Human Settlements Minister Thembi Nkadimeng.
Three South African citizens were also awarded places to study in Azerbaijan for the 2026-2027 academic year under the ‘Heydar Aliyev International Educational Grant Program’.
Ndove Selani, Deputy Director-General for Land Redistribution and Tenure Reform, reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to constructive engagement to ensure that our partnership realises its own potential.
Selani welcomed growing exchanges in education, skills development, and technical cooperation, noting the promise of fostering people-to-people connections and unlocking new opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, agriculture, and rural development.
He also acknowledged ongoing parliamentary diplomacy and said South Africa would continue to consider Azerbaijan’s requests for support in multilateral structures “in line with our various interest commitment to multilateralism on a reciprocal basis".
The event was attended by Alek Moemi, DG of the Ministry of Human Settlement; Daan du Toit, DG of the Ministry of Science and Innovation; heads of diplomatic missions; and representatives of international organisations. Moemi, who was part of the Human Settlements delegation that went to Baku for the WUF13 said they had put the South African agenda at the top of the world.
He was full of praise for Baku describing it as the ancient city that has embraced the demands of modernity efficiency - a city with a cultural history where women walk at night without fear, clean streets and restaurants that churned out world-class cuisine.