Baku, January 1, AZERTAC

The outgoing year of 2022 went down in the history of Azerbaijan as another bright and glorious page. Despite the continuing economic and social crisis in the world, Azerbaijan’s economy has grown about 5 percent, while the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached a record AZN 130 billion.

Thanks to President of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev’s wise policy, the Karabakh victory was strengthened at the political and diplomatic level, the military power of the country was further enhanced. The successful “Farrukh” and the "Revenge" operations were a clear confirmation of this. As a result of clashes in the direction of the state border of Azerbaijan and Armenia in September, Azerbaijan strengthened its positions on favorable strategic heights.

In 2022, the city of Lachin, the villages of Zabukh and Sus of the Lachin district were liberated, and life has returned to the village of Aghali in Zangilan. The second airport was commissioned in the liberated lands. “The Great Return” program is currently being successfully implemented and large-scale works are underway regarding opening of the Zangazur corridor.

As you can see, the year 2022 was rich in landmark events and achievements.

AZERTAC presents a timeline of major events in 2022.

5 January. President Ilham Aliyev signed an Order to declare 2022 as a “Year of Shusha” in Azerbaijan.

13 January. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the 240-megawatt “Khizi-Absheron” Wind Power Plant to be built in Azerbaijan by ACWA Power of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

18 January. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration of a statue to philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev in Baku. The head of state made a speech at the unveiling. ceremony.

24 January. The first regular bus routes Baku-Shusha-Baku and Baku-Aghdam-Baku were launched.

2 February. A Youth Forum dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Day of Azerbaijani Youth was held. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the Forum.

22 February. A Declaration on “Allied Interaction between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation” was signed in Moscow.

20 Mart. A military unit of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan was inaugurated in Sugovushan settlement, Tartar district. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the inauguration.

31 March. Azerbaijan’s ancient city of Shusha was declared the Cultural capital of the Turkic World for 2023. The decision was made at a meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) member states, which was held in Turkiye’s Bursa city.

2 April. On President Ilham Aliyev’s initiative, a foundation stone was laid for the Italy-Azerbaijan University at the campus of the ADA University in Baku.

2-23 April. The fifth Congress of World Azerbaijanis-Victory Congress kicked off in the city of Shusha. More than 400 diaspora representatives and guests from 65 countries attended the congress.

10 May. On 10 May, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the Shusha Digital Management Center owned by “Azerishig” OJSC in Shusha.

12 May. The 5th “Kharibulbul” International Folklore Festival opened in Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan.

17 May. Azerbaijan assumed chairmanship of ECO Parliamentary Assembly.

23 May. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an Order “On the establishment of the State Commission on delimitation of the state border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia”.

26 May. Foundation stone for Soltanli station of Horadiz-Aghband railway line was laid in Jabrayil district. The length of the single-track railway is 110.4 kilometers. According to the project, nine stations (Horadiz, Marjanli, Mahmudlu, Soltanli, Gumlag, Hakari, Minjivan, Bartaz, Aghband), three tunnels, 41 bridges, seven overpasses, about 300 artificial engineering facilities, communication and signaling systems, and electricity infrastructure would be installed along the road.

26-29 May. Baku hosted TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Aerospace and Technology Festival. The event has been organized annually by the Turkish Technology Team (T3 Foundation) and the Ministry of Industry and Technology of Turkiye since 2018.

28 May. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Aerospace and Technology Festival which was held for the first time in Baku.

1-3 June. The Baku Energy Forum kicked off on the sidelines of the Baku Energy Week in the Azerbaijani capital. The Baku Energy Week in Azerbaijan featured 3 major events under its brand - the 27th Caspian Oil and Gas International Exhibition, the 10th Anniversary Caspian International Energy and Renewable Energy Exhibition and the Baku Energy Forum.

10-12 June. Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicked off in Baku. At just over 6.003km, the Baku City Circuit is the second longest circuit in F1. It’s also F1’s fastest street circuit with drivers comfortably reaching speeds of 360km/h along the over 2km-long straight along Neftchilar Avenue, Baku city.

29 June. The 6th Summit of the Heads of State of the Caspian littoral states was held in Ashgabat. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the Summit.

30 June. The Baku Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network under the motto “Boosting the role of national parliaments in promoting global peace and sustainable development” kicked off at the Heydar Aliyev Center. In the end, the Baku Declaration and Regulations on the Rules of Procedure of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement were adopted

14 July. Vagif Poetry Days got underway in the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, Shusha.

18 July. "A Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the field of energy between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union represented by the European Commission" was signed between Azerbaijan and the European Union. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen inked the document.

19 July. The residents of Aghali village returned to their ancestral lands after 29 years of longing.

25 July. The Youth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) kicked-off in Baku.

2-8 August. The third Summer Camp of Azerbaijani Diaspora Youth kicked off in the city of Shusha. The event, held in Shusha, the pearl of Karabakh and the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, brought together 115 young people from 50 countries.

3 August. Azerbaijani Army conducted “Revenge” operation. As a result of the “Revenge” retaliatory operation conducted by the Azerbaijan Army units, the Girkhgiz high ground, including Saribaba and several advantageous high grounds along the Karabakh range of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains were taken under control.

6 August. The Mount Buzdukh and the hights around it were taken under control by Azerbaijan Army.

10 August. A solemn opening ceremony of the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games was held in the Turkish city of Konya. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony.

17 August. A statue of world-renowned singer Muslum Magomayev was unveiled at the Baku Seaside National Park.

26 August. Azerbaijan`s national flag raised in Lachin city. Azerbaijan Army units entered Lachin city.

6 September. Baku hosted opening ceremony of “ADEX” and “Securex Caspian” exhibitions. President Ilham Aliyev viewed 4th “ADEX” and 13th “Securex Caspian” exhibitions. More than 200 companies from around 30 countries of the world were involved in this year's exhibition.

12 September. In the late hours of 12 September, units of the Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale act of sabotage in the directions of Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin of the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border. As a result of urgent measures taken by Azerbaijani units to immediately thwart these acts, a battle flared up. In order to prevent the provocation of the armed forces of Armenia and military threats to the territory and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, and ensure the safety of our military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure work in the territory of Kalbajar and Lachin districts, resolute response measures are being taken by units of the Azerbaijan Army deployed in this direction. Necessary measures are being taken to silence the firing points of the Armenian armed forces and prevent the expansion of the scale of the military conflict.

16 September. Shusha hosted Turkic Business Forum dedicated to the restoration and development of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region.

21 September. President, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev raised the flag of Azerbaijan in the city of Lachin.

21 September. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the 110/35/10 kV “Lachin” Junction Substation to be built by AzerEnergy Open Joint Stock Company in the city of Lachin. The head of state laid the foundation stone for the “Lachin” Junction Substation.

29 September. 2023 declared “Year of Heydar Aliyev” in Azerbaijan.

1 October. A ceremony to inaugurate the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) was held in Sofia, Bulgaria. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.

5 October. The Azerbaijan National Urban Forum on the “Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda as engines of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation” got underway in Aghdam.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the Forum.

20 October. A ceremony to inaugurate the Zangilan International Airport was held. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the opening ceremony.

23 October. Azerbaijani chess players Abdulla Gadimbayli and Govhar Beydullayeva won FIDE World Junior Championship.

1 November. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived in Algeria for a visit to attend the Summit as a Guest of Honor at the invitation of the President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria which hosts the 31st Arab League Summit.

4 November. UNESCO hosted concert marking centenary of prominent Azerbaijani composer Fikrat Amirov.

1 December. Four cultural elements of Azerbaijan were inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 17th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Moroccan capital Rabat between November 28 and December 3. Among the elements submitted to the representative list are: “Pehlevanliq culture: traditional zorkhana games, sports and wrestling” and three multinational nominations.

5-6 December. Azerbaijani-Turkish joint exercises were held in accordance with the agreement on cooperation in the military field signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkiye. The “Fraternal Fist” exercises were held in the city of Baku, as well as the territories of Astara, Jabrayil and Imishli districts. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan via a telephone call congratulated the military personnel of both fraternal countries participating in the exercises.

7 December. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended a ceremony to launch the “Academician Khoshbakht Yusifzade” tanker built at Baku Shipyard by the order of the “Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping” Closed Joint-Stock Company. The “Academician Khoshbakht Yusifzade” tanker with a carrying capacity of 7,800 tons measures 141 meters in length and 16.9 meters in width.

13 December. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participated in the Azeri Central East platform jacket sail away ceremony at the Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory. The ACE project is a $6 billion development which includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to produce up to 300 million barrels over its lifetime.

17 December. The “Agreement on a strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary” was signed in Bucharest. The agreement was signed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Romania Nicolae Ciucă, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban.

23 December. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration of the “Khojasan” station and “Khojasan” electric depot of Baku Metro. “Khojasan” station is the fourth station located on the Purple line. “Khojasan” electric depot is the second depot of Baku Metro and covers an area of more than 24 hectares.

28 December. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration of the DOST Center No5 of the Agency for Sustainable and Operative Social Provision under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in Khatai district, Baku.