PAP President Fateh Boutbig to Lead High-Level Parliamentary Visit to Azerbaijan

Pan-African Parliament President Dr. Fateh Boutbig will lead a high-level delegation to Azerbaijan from 16–18 September 2026 to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, South-South cooperation and institutional relations.

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Dr. Fateh Boutbig, will lead a high-level delegation on a bilateral visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan from 16 to 18 September 2026.

The visit, undertaken at the invitation of H.E. Mrs. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, is expected to consolidate the growing relationship between the two parliamentary institutions and explore practical avenues for cooperation.

Dr. Boutbig will be accompanied by members of the PAP Bureau and the Chairperson of the Parliament’s Northern Regional Caucus. Their discussions with the Azerbaijani leadership are expected to focus on parliamentary diplomacy, South-South cooperation, matters of mutual interest and opportunities to deepen institutional relations between the PAP and the Milli Majlis.

The visit follows Speaker Gafarova’s participation in the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament and the Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments, held in Midrand, South Africa, from 31 July to 1 August 2026.

During the conference, Speaker Gafarova expressed solidarity with African parliaments and emphasized the importance of ensuring that Africa enjoys a stronger voice and more active role in international affairs. She described the PAP as an institution embodying Africa’s aspirations for unity, development and greater global influence, particularly through the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Building on earlier engagements

The September visit represents a continuation of dialogue between Dr. Boutbig and Speaker Gafarova.

The two parliamentary leaders held a videoconference on 13 July 2026, ahead of Speaker Gafarova’s participation in the PAP session. They subsequently met in Midrand on 31 July, where they exchanged views on Azerbaijan’s relations with African countries, the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation and other issues of mutual concern.

At that meeting, Dr. Boutbig described Azerbaijan as a reliable partner of African countries and highlighted the capacity of parliamentary diplomacy to strengthen relations between peoples and advance shared interests.

Speaker Gafarova, for her part, underscored Azerbaijan’s interest in expanding relations with African countries through stronger political dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation in new areas. She formally invited the PAP leadership to visit Azerbaijan, setting the stage for the forthcoming mission.

The two sides also discussed possible cooperation between the Pan-African Parliament and the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as greater coordination within international parliamentary organizations.

Parliamentary diplomacy as a bridge

The planned visit reflects the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a complement to conventional relations conducted between national governments.

Unlike traditional diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy creates opportunities for legislators to exchange experiences, build institutional partnerships and promote dialogue on issues that transcend national boundaries. These may include peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, trade, education, technological advancement and stronger multilateral cooperation.

For the Pan-African Parliament, the engagement provides another platform to project African priorities beyond the continent and build partnerships capable of supporting the aspirations contained in Agenda 2063.

The visit is also consistent with the emphasis being placed by the Seventh Legislature of the PAP on developing partnerships with national, regional and international parliamentary institutions.

In August 2026, the PAP and the African Union Peace and Security Council held their second joint consultative meeting under the theme, “Leveraging Parliamentary Diplomacy to Promote Peace and Security in Africa.” The engagement demonstrated the Parliament’s growing reliance on dialogue and institutional cooperation as instruments for addressing continental challenges.

Advancing South-South cooperation

The Azerbaijan visit also offers an opportunity to give practical meaning to South-South cooperation—the exchange of knowledge, experience, institutional expertise and development solutions among countries and regions of the Global South.

Africa and Azerbaijan share an interest in a more inclusive international system in which developing regions participate meaningfully in shaping global decisions. Parliamentary institutions can advance that objective by creating sustained channels for dialogue, supporting mutually beneficial cooperation and ensuring that international partnerships respond to the needs of their citizens.

Closer relations between the PAP and the Milli Majlis could therefore extend beyond ceremonial exchanges. The discussions may lay the foundation for regular parliamentary consultations, exchanges between committees, cooperation among parliamentary officials and coordinated engagement within international parliamentary forums.

Such institutional mechanisms would help ensure continuity in the relationship and translate political goodwill into measurable programmes.

Strengthening Africa’s international parliamentary presence

The composition of the PAP delegation underscores the institutional importance attached to the visit. The participation of Bureau members and the Chairperson of the Northern Caucus is expected to provide broader representation in the discussions and strengthen ownership of any understandings reached.

For Dr. Boutbig, who assumed the presidency of the Pan-African Parliament in April 2026, the mission forms part of efforts to expand the Parliament’s international partnerships and enhance its visibility as the legislative organ of the African Union.

The visit is expected to reaffirm the commitment of the Pan-African Parliament and the Milli Majlis to sustained dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation. It may also mark an important step towards establishing a more structured relationship between Azerbaijan’s Parliament and the institution representing the peoples of Africa.

As global challenges increasingly require cooperation across regions, the engagement in Baku will demonstrate how parliaments can help build bridges, promote understanding and transform shared aspirations into practical partnerships.