Azerbaijan suspends cooperation with USAID

Azerbaijan has refused to renew its cooperation agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said, accusing Washington of using USAID to pursue its political agenda.

Bayramov, speaking at a news conference with his Georgian counterpart, said that Baku had suspended cooperation with USAID in June 2024.

He noted that after the military operations carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, the United States took "steps incompatible with international law."

"Throughout the year, we have repeatedly informed the US that the extension of the agreement should be discussed under new conditions. However, the US attempted to dictate its terms, disregarding Azerbaijan's interests. As a result, a decision was made not to extend the agreement further," Bayramov noted.