BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, met with Francesina Armengol Socias, President of the Congress of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain, during the Spanish delegation’s official visit to Azerbaijan on January 23, TurkicWorld reports.
The delegation was first introduced to the plenary hall of the Azerbaijani Parliament and then visited the Heydar Aliyev Museum, where Armengol Socias signed the guestbook.
An expanded meeting followed, emphasizing the historic importance of this visit, which marks the first official trip to Azerbaijan by the Spanish Parliament speaker. Gafarova noted that the visit follows her first official trip to Spain in May 2025 and exemplifies the growing focus on developing inter-parliamentary ties between the two countries.
Gafarova noted that the active political dialogue we have observed recently is a crucial factor. During the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in November 2024 for the COP29 event, agreements were reached on several key initiatives to expand bilateral cooperation. Continuing this dialogue and conducting reciprocal visits will allow us to further strengthen our relations.
The meeting also addressed expanding the legal framework for bilateral cooperation, economic collaboration, the role of Spanish companies in Azerbaijan, and the importance of partnerships in renewable energy, education, science, and culture.
Gafarova briefed the guest on Azerbaijan’s renewable energy export projects to Europe, its role as a transit country in the Middle Corridor, and the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. She highlighted that the Washington Summit last August fundamentally transformed regional realities, with Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev leading the creation of a new era of peace and security. She expressed confidence that a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia would soon be signed following the recent preliminary agreement in Washington.
Armengol Socias expressed her satisfaction with her visit, noting her impressions from the Victory Museum in Baku and the country’s development. She reaffirmed Spain’s support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and its interest in expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. The Spanish Parliament speaker emphasized the significance of economic ties, particularly in energy, and the readiness of Spanish companies to further expand operations in Azerbaijan.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on the future of inter-parliamentary relations and other areas of mutual interest. Delegates also visited the "Victory Corner," dedicated to the 44-Day Patriotic War, located in the Parliament foyer.
