Modernization and Mistrust: Inside Azerbaijan’s Judicial Debate

In the global trade of precious metals and diamonds, several large mining countries, trading centers and financial hubs dominate the industry. However, the geography of the sector is gradually expanding. New transport routes and regulatory reforms are creating opportunities for smaller economies to integrate into global value chains.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 10 ordering the implementation within three months of a constitutional law approving amendments to the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the presidential press service said, formalizing changes to the governance of the strategically important exclave.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree reorganizing key state institutions in the fields of media and foreign policy analysis, merging several public legal entities into larger bodies. Authorities describe the reform as a step toward greater efficiency and strategic coordination, though experts point to potential risks of increased centralization.

When Azerbaijan regained full sovereignty over Karabakh in 2023, policymakers in Baku began speaking of a “new geography” for the South Caucasus — a map reshaped by transit corridors, economic reintegration, and a push to position the country as a logistics node between China, Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Yet a less visible transformation is unfolding inside the country’s trade administration: a sweeping shift in how customs interacts with business.