Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov has participated in a meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) held in Moscow, Russia.

Prior to the meeting, Ali Asadov and the heads of other delegations visited the Russia International Exhibition and Forum.

In his address at the meeting, Azerbaijani Prime Minister extended his best wishes to Russia for its upcoming presidency of the CIS in 2024, and congratulated Kyrgyzstan for its successful chairmanship in the current year.

Emphasizing the importance of the CIS as an important platform for dialogue and interaction among participating states in many domains, the PM highlighted Azerbaijan`s commitment to expanding and strengthening bilateral relations within the CIS format.

Describing today's meeting as a valuable opportunity to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, the Azerbaijani PM noted: "It is gratifying that our agenda today is dedicated to the topic of culture. Our countries possess significant potential for collaborative efforts in the cultural and humanitarian spheres. The annual announcement of cultural capitals and thematic humanitarian years within the CIS contributes to the expansion of humanitarian interaction within the Commonwealth of Nations.”

Ali Asadov highlighted the contribution of Saint Petersburg, the Russian Federation, to fostering intercultural dialogue among the CIS countries, acknowledging its status as this year’s cultural capital. He also congratulated the Republic of Uzbekistan on declaring the city of Samarkand as the Cultural Capital of the Commonwealth in 2024.

During his address, Ali Asadov hailed Azerbaijan`s contribution to strengthening cultural-humanitarian cooperation within the CIS, emphasizing the country`s centuries-old traditions of multiculturalism.

The PM underlined that Azerbaijan actively promotes inter-ethnic dialogue through numerous international platforms. Drawing attention to the positive impact of sports on strengthening humanitarian relations, Asadov mentioned the upcoming 3rd CIS Games scheduled to be held in Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan, in 2025. He described it as a “sporting event to strengthen and develop humanitarian interaction within the CIS in the future."

Touching upon the economic and commercial areas as an important facet of cooperation between the countries, the PM underscored that Azerbaijan actively engages in economic cooperation as part of the Union.

Ali Asadov reiterated Azerbaijan's firm determination to continue efforts aimed at strengthening peace and security in the region.

Following the meeting, the heads of Government of the CIS member states signed the Declaration on prospects for cultural and humanitarian cooperation.