- January 24, 2024: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted Resolution 15898, which suspended the voting rights of Azerbaijan’s delegation until the January session of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2025.
- February 7, 2024: Extraordinary presidential elections were held, and the incumbent president, Ilham Aliyev, was declared the winner.
- March 6, 2024: Authorities launched an operation to neutralize Toplum TV, during which access to its content accounts was blocked, searches were conducted, and key staff members, including its founder and media law expert Alexker Mamedli, were arrested. Members of the Third Republic platform, Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli, were also detained.
- April 17, 2024: Russia began withdrawing its peacekeeping contingent deployed in Karabakh from Azerbaijan.
- April 19, 2024: The commissions of Armenia and Azerbaijan on state border delimitation agreed to commence the delimitation and demarcation process. The first border post was installed on April 23.
- July 6, 2024: An informal summit of the heads of state of the Organization of Turkic States was held in Shusha. Initiated by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, the summit focused on the theme "Building a Sustainable Future Through Transport Links and Combating Climate Change."
- September 1, 2024: Early parliamentary elections were held in Azerbaijan. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), led by President Ilham Aliyev, renewed its absolute majority in the Milli Majlis, securing 68 out of 125 seats.
- November 11, 2024: The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) began in Baku, gathering delegations from 198 countries.
- December 6, 2024: Six staff members of the opposition internet portal Meydan TV were arrested. They were accused of "smuggling committed by a group of persons in collusion."
- December 26, 2024: A passenger plane operated by AZAL crashed in the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, after sustaining damage from a missile attack by Russian air defense systems over Grozny. Of the 67 people on board, 38 lost their lives.
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As 2024 comes to a close, Azerbaijan finds itself at the crossroads of rapid political, economic, and social changes. The year was marked by key events that highlighted the country's ambitions and challenges, ranging from geopolitical shifts to domestic discontent.
Political Shifts and Electoral Consolidation
The year began with Azerbaijan’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) losing its voting rights, a symbolic blow reflecting international concerns about governance and human rights. Shortly after, extraordinary presidential elections in February secured another term for President Ilham Aliyev, further consolidating his power. While the ruling New Azerbaijan Party celebrated the results, opposition groups criticized the process as heavily controlled and suppressive.
In June, the decision to dissolve the Milli Majlis (parliament) paved the way for early parliamentary elections in September. The elections reaffirmed the dominance of the ruling party, with President Aliyev’s party winning 68 out of 125 seats. This outcome strengthened the government’s legislative influence but deepened political divisions, as critics cited the lack of meaningful opposition participation in the elections.
Geopolitical Challenges and Regional Diplomacy
On the international front, Azerbaijan’s geopolitical balance was repeatedly tested. In April, Russia began withdrawing its peacekeepers from the Karabakh region, coinciding with renewed efforts to delimit the border with Armenia. Talks progressed gradually, with the first border posts installed—an initial step toward stabilizing the South Caucasus.
In July, Azerbaijan hosted a significant summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Shusha, focusing on regional connectivity and climate change. President Ilham Aliyev’s role as a mediator underscored the country’s ambitions for regional leadership. However, these aspirations faced challenges when Russian President Vladimir Putin’s August visit to Baku surprised Western observers amid ongoing tensions over the Ukraine conflict.
A December crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane, which was struck by Russian air defense systems over Grozny, became a diplomatic flashpoint. The incident highlighted the fragility of Azerbaijan-Russia relations as Baku demanded accountability and compensation.
Economic Growth and Green Ambitions
Azerbaijan’s economy remained resilient, supported by energy exports. Simultaneously, the government sought to pivot toward green energy initiatives, particularly during the COP29 climate summit in Baku. While these ambitions attracted international attention, skepticism persisted regarding their implementation and inclusiveness.
Nevertheless, domestic economic pressures, including rising living costs and a lack of meaningful diversification, continued to strain ordinary citizens. Demands for reforms and transparency in government spending gained momentum, reflecting growing frustration with the government’s focus on large-scale projects rather than grassroots needs.
Human Rights Challenges
Human rights remained a sensitive issue. High-profile arrests of journalists, activists, and opposition figures were frequent, with Toplum TV and Meydan TV bearing the brunt of government crackdowns. International observers repeatedly voiced concerns, but dissent within the country was suppressed with little sign of change.
Notable incidents included the arrest of human rights defender Rufat Safarov and the detention of media personnel. Such actions tarnished Azerbaijan’s international reputation, despite its efforts to project a progressive image on global platforms, particularly at COP29.
Moving from 2024 to 2025
As the country prepares for municipal elections in 2025, it faces the dual challenge of addressing domestic issues and navigating complex international scrutiny. The events of 2024 underscored the need for a more inclusive approach to governance and diplomacy.
Azerbaijan’s future hinges on its ability to balance its aspirations for regional leadership with fulfilling its internal obligations to its citizens. Whether it can achieve this balance remains to be seen, but the year’s events have undoubtedly set the stage for critical decisions in the years to come.
Social
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After a severe traffic accident on January 18 in Imishli, which resulted in the death of 2 children and the injury of two others (one more of the injured died in the hospital three days later), the local community took to the streets in protest. The high speed of the police vehicle and the fact that the victims were minors incited anger among the local population.
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There is a connection between thinking and working. You need to work in order to think about your work and then have the opportunity to think about topics outside of work. For thinking, you must have enough time to think. If you work too much, you don’t have the chance to think about anything. Instinctive behavior and a robotic lifestyle leave no room for reflection. That’s why the cause-and-effect relationship between work and people must be clearly defined: it is not people who should serve work but work that should serve people.
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The main goal for countries that aim to develop is to cultivate human capital. Creating conditions for the development of people who are aware of their rights, have protected rights, are educated, healthy, and highly skilled is a priority for countries that set this goal. This is also referred to as cultivating human capital.
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One of the deputies suggested that we repeatedly show scenes of devastated Syria on our television channels. This way, people can understand that geopolitical stability is above all else. We should deeply analyze the policies that brought Syria to its current state and make them a lesson for our citizens, emphasizing that security comes before everything. In short, we should not pause propaganda efforts that stress the importance of security.
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