Development & Diplomacy Institute accomplishes Caspian Basin Studies program

The Caspian Basin Studies program organized by the Specialization Programs of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy (IDD) operating under ADA University has been completed, Azernews reports.

The program, which lasted from November 18 to 25, brought together diplomats and researchers from different regions of the world and introduced them to the countries of the Caspian basin. Among the countries represented by them are Bulgaria, Egypt, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Moldova, Poland, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Up to 30 participants from 23 countries had the opportunity to listen to lectures covering the history and culture, economy, foreign policy and development strategy of the countries of the Caspian basin, as well as the political structure of those countries, as well as energy and security topics.

Those topics were taught by high-authority state officials, professors and teachers of ADA University, members and employees of the Board of Trustees of IDD, as well as representatives of think tanks.

Within the framework of the program, the participants met with the Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, and Elchin Amirbeyov, the representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on special tasks, held discussions on regional issues and addressed the questions they were interested in to the officials regarding the restoration of the liberated Garabagh and the peace-building process in the region. At the same time, the diplomats and researchers met with Aykhan Hajizadeh, press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and got detailed information about the foreign policy of Azerbaijan, the country's achievements in the relevant direction and current problems.

During the program, the participants visited Agdam to observe the reconstruction works in the liberated territories. During the visit, which took place on November 23, they visited the sights of the city, including Juma Mosque, Shahbulag Castle, Agdam State Drama Theater, as well as Martyrs' Alley. They also visited the newly built Aghdam Conference Center and got acquainted with the future development plan of the city.

It should be noted that the participants visited various state-important places and institutions located along the Caspian coast to observe what they learned in the field.

At the closing ceremony of the program on November 24, Fariz Ismayilzadeh, vice-rector of ADA University and director of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy, and Aygun Hajiyeva, adviser to the vice-rector of ADA University, deputy director of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy, addressed the participants. They were congratulated on successfully completing the Program and getting a certificate. The speakers noted that the "Caspian Basin Studies" program is a learning and networking platform that provides professional communication to participants representing countries neighboring Azerbaijan, Eastern Europe, and Central and Southeast Asia, and comprehensively informs them about the past, present, and future of the Caspian region.