Interview of the Behörden Spiegel with Ambassador Nasimi Aghayev
The following interview with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Germany, Nasimi Aghayev, was published by the German newspaper Behörden Spiegel in June 2025.
„FRIEND AND PARTNER
His country lies between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus, bordered by Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the west. Ten million people live in the West Asian state, which, with 86,000 km², is about the size of Austria and Luxembourg combined.
Azerbaijan — a land at the crossroads of cultures and civilizations, situated on the historic Silk Road — is a diverse, multicultural country with a connection to Germany that goes back more than 200 years. Between the late 18th and 19th centuries, Swabian settlers arrived there at the invitation of Tsarina Catherine II and her grandson Alexander I.
Migration began in 1816 from the areas of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Urach, and the Rems Valley with the first 40 families from Schweikheim. They founded villages such as Elisabethtal, Katharinenfeld, and Marienfeld (now in Georgia), and Helenendorf, Annenfeld, and Georgsfeld (now in Azerbaijan). Bilateral relations between the two countries are therefore based on trust and equal cooperation in politics, economy, culture, sports, education, and healthcare.
This provides excellent conditions for Ambassador Nasimi Aghayev to maintain, expand, and strengthen contacts with compatriots, parliamentarians, and other decision-makers, and to keep his government in Baku informed about significant developments in Germany. The 46-year-old knows the country well: he studied European Law at Saarland University in 2003, first joined Azerbaijan’s embassy in Berlin in 2005, and has been head of mission on Hubertusallee since 2022.
“It is important to me,” says Ambassador Aghayev, “to promote awareness and understanding of Azerbaijan in Germany through intensive cultural exchange, educational cooperation, and public events. We want to show that we are an open-minded, multiethnic nation with a strong culture of tolerance and harmonious coexistence.”
Since diplomatic relations were established in 1992, this has been quite successful. With more than 250 German companies operating there, Azerbaijan is Germany’s largest economic and trade partner in the South Caucasus. Germany exports machinery, motor vehicles, car parts, iron and steel products, and manufacturing equipment. The Caucasian nation also plays a particularly important role as one of Germany’s main natural gas suppliers.
Major Gas Supplier Since the Ukraine War
“Through the Southern Gas Corridor, we delivered nearly 13 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe last year — a significant increase compared to the eight billion cubic meters before the start of the Ukraine war,” Aghayev explains.
Recently, a new long-term agreement with Germany was signed, doubling gas exports from Azerbaijan to 3 billion cubic meters per year. This demonstrates Azerbaijan’s commitment to actively supporting Germany and Europe during the energy crisis. Currently, eleven European countries, including nine EU member states such as Germany, receive Azerbaijani gas. This underscores Azerbaijan’s growing strategic role in Europe’s energy supply — both in the energy transition and in managing global uncertainties, the ambassador says.
To maintain this momentum, Baku is investing heavily in renewable energy and aims to become a leading force in regional green power generation. The country holds reserves of 135 gigawatts onshore and 157 gigawatts offshore in the Caspian Sea, particularly for wind and solar energy.
One-Third Renewable Energy by 2030
“In 2023, we inaugurated the Garadagh Solar Park, the largest in the Caspian region, with a capacity of 230 megawatts,” says Aghayev. “Our goal is to increase the share of renewables in our energy mix to 35.5 percent by 2030.”
A planned green energy corridor via Georgia and the Black Sea will pave the way for the export of clean energy from Azerbaijan to Romania, Hungary, and, in the future, Germany. Azerbaijan thus serves as a bridge between Asia and Europe, offering numerous opportunities for German companies — in grid infrastructure, energy storage, and green hydrogen, Aghayev notes.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two nations is also thriving, and German is a popular foreign language in Azerbaijan. “It is also a key priority for us to establish direct ties with German regions and to initiate and strengthen people-to-people relations.”
Changing Perceptions
Nasimi Aghayev has been a diplomat for 26 years.
“In Germany, Azerbaijan is still sometimes perceived through stereotypes or outdated ideas,” he says. “There is often an incomplete picture of our country — its culture, dynamism, and modern development. Complex geopolitical contexts or historical backgrounds are sometimes overlooked, which can lead to a distorted image.”
Such perceptions change slowly, but Azerbaijan believes that more exchange — in business, science, politics, and culture — leads to greater understanding. Personal encounters are the best way to dispel prejudice and convey a realistic view.
A Bridge to Europe
Located at the junction of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan is a country where millennia of history meet modern dynamism. Shaped by cultural diversity, religious tolerance, and a rich heritage, it is evolving — thanks to its strategic location, energy resources, and innovative drive — into a central economic and logistics hub of Eurasia and a reliable partner and friend of Germany, concludes the 46-year-old ambassador.“
https://medium.com/@nasimiaghayev/energy-dialogue-and-diplomacy-how-azerbaijan-strengthens-its-ties-with-germany-7c491ec27f88
