In recent years, relations between Azerbaijan and European countries have entered a new phase shaped by evolving geopolitical realities and shared strategic interests. Dialogue and mutual trust have gained particular importance amid discussions on regional stability, energy security, and connectivity, while expanded political contacts, deeper economic cooperation, and stronger people-to-people ties point to a clear commitment to long-term, pragmatic partnerships. Against this backdrop, APA Information Agency interviewed Julien de Frepon, Ambassador of Belgium to Azerbaijan, to examine the current state of bilateral relations, emerging areas of cooperation, and the wider regional and international context influencing engagement between the two countries.
I think this year will be a positive year for the Azerbaijani people and for the region
– Mr Ambassador, I believe this interview will help our audience better understand the existing relations between our countries and their future potential. How would you characterize the current diplomatic relations between the two countries?
– First of all, I would also like to thank you for coming to the Belgian Embassy to discuss these issues. Happy New Year! I think this year will be a positive year for the Azerbaijani people and for the region, and I am confident that it will also be a good year for bilateral relations between Belgium and Azerbaijan. Over the past few years, Belgium–Azerbaijan relations have deepened. As an example, I can note that political dialogue at the level of the Belgian leadership and Belgian ministers has increased in recent years. After I arrived here, we had the honor of hosting our Prime Minister here. This was a historic visit, as it was the first visit of a Belgian Prime Minister to Azerbaijan. This visit took place within the framework of COP29. At the same time, there were also visits by Belgian companies interested in Azerbaijan, including recently, in October, of the main Belgium business federation. In December last year, a visit to Azerbaijan by high-ranking officials from the Benelux countries – Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg – took place. I think this demonstrates both the existence of a new dynamic of peace in the region and the potential for the development of our relations in many areas.
The leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia has taken courageous steps to achieve lasting peace in the region
– In your opinion, in which areas is there the greatest potential for developing our relations? In which specific directions?
– I would mention three main areas in which we can further deepen our relations. As I mentioned, the regional context is very important. We see that many new developments have taken place in terms of regional stability and regional security, and Belgium wants to contribute to this process. The leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia has taken courageous steps to achieve lasting peace in the region. We consider this extremely important and will do whatever we can to contribute to this new dynamic. This is the first area. The second area relates to economic cooperation. We see that Azerbaijan is taking important steps towards diversifying its economy, meaning that it is seeking to develop many economic sectors beyond the energy sector. These areas include healthcare, logistics, transport ,and infrastructure. We see that Belgian companies are showing serious interest in operating in Azerbaijan in these directions. The final area I would like to mention is people-to-people contacts. Frankly, since the day I arrived in Azerbaijan, this is the aspect that has surprised me the most: the number of Azerbaijanis who want to travel to Belgium and study there is quite high. I have even met dozens of Azerbaijanis who have studied at some of Belgium’s most prestigious universities. Some of them hold very high positions in Azerbaijani companies as well as in government institutions, and we see this as a value that should be preserved and encouraged. We are also working in this direction.
We see Azerbaijan as a very important partner for NATO
– Mr Ambassador, as we all know, Belgium is a member of the European Union and NATO. How does this factor influence Belgium’s relations with Azerbaijan?
– Yes, Belgium is one of the founding members of both the European Union and NATO. In fact, we consider these two organizations very important in our foreign policy, and their role is significant in our relations with Azerbaijan as well. We fully support the agenda of deepening relations with the European Union and NATO. Relations with the European Union already cover a very broad range of topics – energy, trade and many other areas – and we support the further development of these ties. In fact, 2026 will be a very important year in this regard, because Azerbaijan and the European Union have decided to hold negotiations on deepening relations and concluding a new partnership agreement. Belgium will fully support this process. There are also positive developments in relations with NATO. We see Azerbaijan as a very important partner for NATO.
We also recall that Azerbaijan has contributed to some NATO missions over many years, including the mission in Afghanistan, and we highly appreciate this. There are good prospects for further deepening relations between Azerbaijan and NATO. I think NATO is planning to appoint a new Special Representative for the South Caucasus in the near future, and we consider this a good opportunity for the development of relations. Overall, we believe that there are many areas in which we can work together with Azerbaijan to strengthen security in the region, and I can give two examples in this regard. Azerbaijan has demonstrated a very ambitious and extremely positive position regarding Ukraine: it has provided extensive humanitarian assistance, which is very important, and at the same time supported the restoration of Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure. We consider this very significant.
Belgium fully supports Ukraine and we consider Azerbaijan’s contribution to be decisive. Another example is the Middle East. This is a very topical issue at the beginning of the year as we are following the events in Iran. In general, Azerbaijan has played an important role in ensuring stability in the Middle East region. We are very grateful for Azerbaijan’s assistance in helping Belgian citizens leave the country during the war in Iran last year. We also regard this as a clear example of positive cooperation and partnership that can be established with the Azerbaijani government on these issues.
Energy relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union have become more strategic
– You spoke about bilateral cooperation, as well as relations within the framework of NATO and the European Union. Speaking of the European Union, how does Belgium assess Azerbaijan’s strategic role for the European Union in the areas of connectivity and energy security?
– Yes, these two areas you mentioned are extremely important. When it comes to energy, energy relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union have become more strategic, especially after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This, of course, also includes traditional energy sources. For example, the Southern Gas Corridor – in the development of whose infrastructure some Belgian companies have also participated – is of great importance for Europe’s gas supply and energy security. However, the issue is not limited only to traditional energy sources. I arrived here shortly before COP29, and this event, of course, was a good opportunity both to deepen our countries’ commitments and ambitions in the field of green and sustainable energy and to strengthen cooperation on the development of sustainable energy sources. We have seen that Azerbaijan is taking concrete steps in this direction, and we believe that Belgian companies can also contribute to and actively participate in these projects. As for connectivity, this is also a very important aspect of our relations. In fact, Belgium understands this very well, because Belgium’s economic prosperity largely depends on connectivity with neighboring countries and the world as a whole. We are a relatively small, medium-sized economy, but we are strongly focused on trade and on building connections with neighboring countries as well as with a wider geography. We have world-class ports, infrastructure and trade networks, and we understand very well how important this is. We see interest in developing these directions within the framework of European Union–Azerbaijan relations.
I believe this will be positive for European Union–Azerbaijan relations and will be a “win-win” process that benefits both sides
– Let us continue with the topic of the European Union. How does Belgium assess the negotiations on a new, comprehensive agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union?
– We fully support this joint ambition to sign a new partnership agreement. I believe this will be positive for European Union–Azerbaijan relations and will be a “win-win” process that benefits both sides. In fact, the European Union is Azerbaijan’s largest trading partner. This has been the case for many years, and at the same time, the European Union has become Azerbaijan’s largest foreign investor. Therefore, deepening relations across all areas is entirely logical. We assess this as a very positive development.
– How does Belgium view the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia? What is Belgium’s concrete position on this process? What are the advantages and perspective of Belgium’s approach to this process?
– We welcomed the initialing of the peace and normalization agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia during the summer months. I believe this is an extremely positive development. If we also take into account the broader geopolitical context, this is a very important event and it shows that the two countries are trying to move beyond a very painful history of conflict and build something positive and sustainable for the future. I think that perhaps as important as the signature of the agreement is the fact that citizens of both countries should be able to see the real benefits of a state of peace. In recent months, we have seen concrete steps that confirm this. The delivery of fuel and grain to Armenia via Azerbaijan is an example of this. We see more contacts at the level of civil society, as well as between the two countries. Therefore, we are confident that sustainable peace can be built in this way. In fact, if we look at the history of Europe and also the history of my region, we see that sometimes lasting peace between countries with a very long history of conflict has been built in this manner.
– Mr Ambassador, in previous questions, you spoke about connectivity. More specifically, how does Belgium view regional connectivity projects, such as initiatives like the “Trump route”?
– We believe that the issue of connectivity is a central and key topic in the normalization agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We welcome the role of the United States in the development of such projects. At the same time, we positively view the possibility for the European Union to contribute to these connectivity projects as well. As I mentioned, it is precisely through such concrete benefits that peace can be built in a sustainable manner. We view this positively. I believe that European and Belgian companies can participate in such large-scale connectivity projects. We have many companies that are interested in this field.
– From Belgium’s perspective, how is Azerbaijan’s role in the Middle Corridor and Eurasian connectivity routes assessed?
– We see that the Middle Corridor is generally becoming more important and strategically significant for Europe. This is also the case for Belgium. The Middle Corridor has become a means for the development of transport routes, trade and infrastructure, and is beginning to play a central role in broader regional exchanges. We see opportunities for Europe to participate in this process. In fact, Europe has also developed concrete strategies for this purpose. For example, there is the “Global Gateway” program, which aims to develop trade and transport corridors connecting Europe with Asia via Central Asia. I think this is a process that is beneficial for both Europe and Azerbaijan, and Belgian companies are also actively participating in this direction. There is also the Black Sea Strategy proposed by the European Union, which focuses on how connectivity in the Black Sea region can be developed. This strategy clearly recognizes Azerbaijan’s strategic position in that geography, which is very important. Belgium is making serious investments in relations with the South Caucasus and Central Asia regions. For example, at the end of last year, our government announced that we would open a new embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This is also part of our view that this region will become increasingly important in the future. If we look back just 25 years, Belgium had no embassies either in the South Caucasus or in Central Asia. Today, however, we have three embassies, and from next year there will be four: two in the South Caucasus and soon two in Central Asia.
This shows that we see this region as a strategic area, we are here and we intend to stay, to build and develop our relations with all these countries. Of course, my main task is to implement this in relations with Azerbaijan.
– Mr Ambassador, as we approach the end of our conversation, you have already been here for some time. You have probably tasted Azerbaijani cuisine and visited many places…
– Yes, indeed, I have already had the opportunity to travel to many regions in different parts of Azerbaijan. I have been to Ganja, to Quba, to mountainous areas. I have even been to Lankaran several times. If I were to highlight something in particular, when talking about the richness of Azerbaijani cuisine, Lankaran’s fruits and vegetables immediately come to my mind. They are truly very delicious.
– I am from Lankaran.
– Really? How wonderful. The main aspect of Azerbaijani cuisine that I like is its diversity and at the same time its simplicity, gathering with friends and spending time around a beautiful table. I think this is a universal language that everyone can understand and enjoy, and this is one of the things that makes Azerbaijan special.
Photo - Rufat Mustafayev ©️APA GROUP
