BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 4. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s address at the 80th anniversary of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) on November 3 was a comprehensive, strategic, and deeply insightful speech that covered scientific, political, and national ideological dimensions, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
Garayev noted that the head of state evaluated the historical development of Azerbaijani science while also defining its future direction.
“President Ilham Aliyev’s speech highlighted the key stages of Azerbaijan’s scientific progress, the role of national leader Heydar Aliyev, and the prioritization of modern fields such as technology, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, the defense industry, energy, history, and language preservation. Azerbaijani scientists continue to contribute to the country’s development, and this activity will only expand in the future,” Garayev noted.
He emphasized that these points underline the state’s sustained support for science and intellectual capital.
He added that the president devoted a significant part of his speech to Heydar Aliyev’s role in developing science. Garayev recalled that in the 1970s, Heydar Aliyev strengthened the academy’s operations, founded new research institutes, and boosted funding for science. Thousands of Azerbaijani youth were sent to study at leading universities across the Soviet Union, which strengthened the country’s intellectual potential. This policy continues today, as thousands of Azerbaijani students study at top global universities before returning home to contribute to national progress.
The analyst also noted that President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of technology as a key national priority.
“He underscored that national security and sustainable development now depend on technological capacity, and the most valuable resource is intellectual potential, but it must be invested in to realize its full worth. Therefore, the state must continue to fund science and technology while scientists maximize the use of these opportunities,” Garayev said.
According to him, the head of state’s remarks on AI marked the first time this issue was discussed at such a strategic level, identifying AI as an essential component of future development. President Ilham Aliyev also underlined the importance of digitalization and cybersecurity reforms, describing the creation of the Cybersecurity Center as a timely step and inviting scientists to take an active role in this field.
"Azerbaijan must keep pace in this vital field, with the state and the scientific community working hand in hand. The reforms in digitalization and cybersecurity are also aligned with this strategic vision. President Ilham Aliyev described the establishment of the Cybersecurity Center as a timely and forward-looking initiative, calling on scientists to take an active role in its development. Moreover, Azerbaijan has already begun exporting defense products to various countries, marking the start of private sector involvement in this sphere, while the nation also advances domestic production of unmanned aerial vehicles," he added.
Garayev stated that the head of state also discussed Azerbaijan’s economic achievements, highlighting that the non-oil sector has become the country’s main economic driver.
“Foreign exchange reserves now exceed $80 billion, while foreign debt stands at just over 6 percent of gross domestic product, a key indicator of Azerbaijan’s economic independence. Extensive reconstruction and energy projects are underway in the liberated territories of Karabakh and East Zangezur. Over 30 hydroelectric power plants have already been built, and the generation capacity of solar and wind energy is expected to reach 6,000 megawatts by 2030. This forms the cornerstone of Azerbaijan’s green energy strategy,” he said.
The political analyst highlighted that President Ilham Aliyev, in his speech, addressed the restoration of historical justice and the return of Azerbaijanis to present-day Armenia, calling it a fair and natural process.
“Referring to Tsarist-era maps, the president noted that most place names in the territory of modern-day Armenia are of Azerbaijani origin. He emphasized the need for scientific research and global dissemination of these facts to counter historical falsifications. The president urged scholars to produce more academic works, maps, exhibitions, and presentations on Azerbaijan’s history. Addressing the importance of language, he stressed that the Azerbaijani language is the core symbol of national identity. Concluding his remarks on the fifth anniversary of Victory Day, the president said that the upcoming military parade in Freedom Square will symbolize the pride, strength, and unity of the Azerbaijani people, a lasting reflection of their historic victory,” the analyst concluded.
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