Azerbaijan, U.S. Hold First Strategic Working Group Meeting on Partnership Charter

Baku, The Gulf Observer: The first full-fledged meeting of the Strategic Working Group tasked with developing the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States of America was held online on December 19, 2025, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter.

During the talks, the sides reviewed the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in priority areas, including regional connectivity encompassing energy, trade and transit; economic investment with a focus on artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure; as well as defence, security and counterterrorism. These areas were identified as key priorities under the Memorandum of Understanding to develop the Charter on Strategic Partnership, signed by the two countries on the sidelines of the August 8 Washington Peace Summit.

Participants highly appreciated the bilateral contacts and sector-specific discussions held since the August meeting, noting their contribution to advancing cooperation across the agreed priority areas.

The meeting also featured an exchange of views on the draft text of the Charter on Strategic Partnership, which is intended to define mutually beneficial directions of cooperation in these and other critical fields. Both sides underscored the importance of finalizing the document within a short timeframe.

The Azerbaijani and U.S. delegations further agreed on the dates and agenda for the next meeting of the Strategic Working Group.