Azerbaijan to host International Astronautical Congress in 2023

By Azernews

Azerbaijan’s satellite operator Azercosmos and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) signed an agreement to host the International Astronautical Congress in Baku from September 25-29, 2023.

The agreement was signed during the meeting in Azerbaijan's Transport, Communication and High Technologies Ministry with a delegation of the International Astronautical Federation, who paid a working visit to Azerbaijan, on September 17.

During the meeting, Azerbaijan's Transport, Communication and High Technologies Minister Rashad Nabiyev noted that independent Azerbaijan became a member of the world space family thanks to successful satellite projects implemented on the initiative and under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

"As a result, such an important event as the International Astronautical Congress will be hosted by Baku again after half a century," he highlighted.

Moreover, it was emphasized that this event, along with Azerbaijan, will provide an invaluable opportunity for neighboring countries, including non-IAF member states, to integrate more closely into the global space industry.

In turn, IAF's President Pascal Ehrenfreund expressed gratitude to Azercosmos for close cooperation.

“I am confident that the IAC 2023 will mark an important time in Azerbaijan’s footprints in the space arena and will help to establish Azerbaijan as one of the driving forces of the global space industry," Ehrenfreund said.

International Astronautical Federation is working more closely with the world's leading partners of space agencies, companies and organizations, accelerating the transfer of space technology to the region, developing human capital, as well as strengthening Azerbaijan's reputation as the "regional space center" and a reliable partner in the international arena.

Baku won the right to host the International Astronautics Congress in 2023 at the General Assembly of the International Federation of Astronautics in the US capital, Washington, in 2019.