Which countries congratulated Aliyev on his victory in the presidential election?

On February 7, 2024, snap presidential election was held in Azerbaijan, with Ilham Aliyev re-elected to the post of president.

Earlier, on January 10, in an interview to local media, Aliyev said that snap presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan to “restore sovereignty in the entire territory of the republic” following the establishment of Azerbaijani control over Nagorno Karabakh.

Aliyev said that the presidential elections should mark “the beginning of a new era“.

The election, which paved the way for Aliyev into his third decade in office, was devoid of political competition and marked by serious electoral flaws and restrictions imposed on the media, as stated by the OSCE observers at the press conference held in Baku.

The representatives of the mission noted that the voting was held in a restrictive environment, with significant flaws.

Despite this, heads of a number of states and organizations sent congratulatory messages to Aliyev on his re-election. The Union of Informed Citizens made a list of those countries and highlighted the most remarkable congratulatory messages.

Moscow criticized international observers, claiming that Baku held competitive elections

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Aliyev in a phone call on the occasion of his victory in Azerbaijan’s snap presidential elections, wishing him “success in his presidential activities for the sake of the development of Azerbaijan and the prosperity of its people.”

It is noteworthy that the Russian Foreign Ministry also issued a special statement, criticizing the negative assessments of Western observers regarding the election process in Azerbaijan. The Foreign Ministry of the country quoted the remarks of Russian observers, namely, that “the voting took place under competitive conditions, with the presence of alternatives and in a favorable atmosphere.”

“Against this background, the assessments of the Western countries and the international organizations controlled by them were extremely biased, which, as we saw, were initially extremely biased in the presidential election in Azerbaijan and used pre-approved methods of discrediting the electoral process,” the statement reads.

Other CSTO member states

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was one of the first to congratulate Aliyev. “During 20 years, thanks to your determination, high political culture and ability to listen to the voice of your people, a powerful, independent state was built, whose opinion is taken into account in the world. Your name is rightfully associated with economic progress and the increased well-being of citizens, the strengthening of Baku’s sovereignty and role in the international arena.”

Leaders of all other CSTO member states, namely, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, also congratulated Aliyev.

The President of Iran emphasized the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan

In his congratulations addressed to Aliyev, the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, emphasized “the importance of holding elections for the first time after the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan”.

For the first time since the restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, holding these elections on the entire territory of your country is of great importance,” said the president of Iran.

Baku as part of China’s One Belt One Road initiative

In his congratulatory message addressed to Aliyev, President of China Xi Jinping noted that in recent years, relations between China and Azerbaijan have been distinguished by exemplary and sustainable development.

According to him, a high level of political trust is being established, the joint initiative “One Belt, One Road” is being promoted, and there is close cooperation in international issues.

Michel wished Aliyev “the best”

Congratulating Aliyev on being elected for the fifth time, the President of the European Council Charles Michel wished him “the best”. He also informed that he discussed the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement with Aliyev: “We welcome Azerbaijan’s commitment to resume the Brussels process trilateral meeting.”

Among EU countries, leaders of Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria congratulated Aliyev.

Azerbaijan’s enviable international image

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic stands out with his warm congratulations to the President of Azerbaijan. “Thanks to your strategic policy and commitment, Azerbaijan has made progress in the field of socio-economic development, ensured the safety and well-being of every citizen, and by becoming a regional leader, your country has gained an enviable reputation in the international arena.”

Zelensky is grateful to Baku

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky highly appreciated “mutual support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries”.

“We are grateful to Azerbaijan for humanitarian and other assistance during the historical period of the liberation struggle of our state,” said the President of Ukraine.

Other countries

Among the countries that congratulated Aliyev were Turkey, Georgia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Kuwait, Iraq, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Venezuela and Nicaragua.

The United States joined the criticism of the OSCE

In its reaction to the snap presidential elections held in Azerbaijan on February 7, the US Department of State joined the OSCE assessments.

“We share the observations and concerns of the observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights that the presidential elections took place in a restrictive environment, in the absence of real competition,” said the representative of the Department of State.

Nane Manasyan

Union of Informed Citizens