BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The leadership of Azerbaijan has managed to find opportunities to pursue the political course necessary for the development of the country, despite the challenges, former Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zlatko Lagumdžija told Trend on the sidelines of the X Baku Global Forum.

Lagumdžija noted that this is one of the key reasons behind the geopolitical success of Azerbaijan in the region. The former FM added that there was a complex geopolitical situation after the collapse of the USSR, but Heydar Aliyev managed to take the necessary steps for the country's development.

He also noted that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev identified Azerbaijan's competitive advantages in the XXI century and was also able to use them to promote the interests of the state, especially in the context of energy and geopolitics.

"The liberation from the occupation of Karabakh and its subsequent restoration was carried out at the right time. The wisdom of the political leadership is another reason for Azerbaijan's success," the ex-foreign minister noted.

Zlatko Lagumdžija also mentioned the culture of the Azerbaijani people.

"Azerbaijanis are a great nation whose strength comes from its culture, cultural environment, and traditions. This gave strength to the people to unite in difficult times," the former FM said.

"The brightest example is Nizami Ganjavi. He is a true phenomenon of the culture and traditions of Azerbaijan," Lagumdžija concluded.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, under the patronage of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the X Global Baku Forum kicked off on March 9. The forum’s topic this year is "The World of Today: Challenges and Hopes".

The Forum, which will last until March 11, is attended by high-ranking guests from dozens of countries, among them current and former heads of state and governments, prominent public and political figures, leading foreign experts, the leadership of the World Health Organization, the League of Arab States, and other major international organizations.