BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. The 4th Baku Security Forum, held on September 22 in Baku, stood out as a significant event on the international security agenda due to its scale and the high level of its participants.
The gathering in Baku of heads of special services and high-ranking representatives from over 100 countries demonstrated that the forum goes beyond the format of a standard international conference. The participation of approximately 600 high-level delegates highlights the extensive scope of the dialogue established in the realm of security.
One of the forum's key distinguishing features is the nature of the institutions represented by the participants. Bringing together heads of special services and security agencies from various countries on a single platform ensures that security issues do not remain confined to the level of political discussion. Instead, the focus is on sharing experiences and approaches among the very agencies that combat terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and other cross-border threats on a daily basis.
The relevance of this format is further heightened by the rapidly changing global security landscape. A number of risks that were previously assessed within the confines of a specific region or country can now rapidly cross borders. Processes such as the expansion of cyberspace, the new capabilities of artificial intelligence, the activities of transnational criminal networks, and illegal migration present new challenges for security agencies.
Moreover, modern security is not limited merely to the protection of physical borders. Energy and transport infrastructure, banking systems, communication networks, water resources, and the information space are of strategic importance to the resilience of states. A serious issue arising in one of these systems can impact other sectors as well. Consequently, a comprehensive approach to security issues has become a necessity rather than a choice.
One of the significant aspects of the Baku Forum is that it establishes a channel for security dialogue among countries with differing political stances. At a time marked by serious disagreements in international relations, maintaining professional ties regarding shared threats is of particular importance, as issues such as terrorism and transnational crime do not respect political boundaries between states. For this very reason, the participation of heads of special services from over 100 countries in Baku represents more than just statistics illustrating the event's broad geographical reach. It’s a significant indicator of the growing need for international cooperation in the security sector and the rising interest in such dialogue platforms.
The Baku platform established by Azerbaijan has now brought high-level representatives together in the same venue for the fourth time. The year-on-year expansion of this process—which began in 2023—demonstrates that the forum has solidified its status as a distinct international dialogue format.
In this context, the primary significance of the 4th Baku Security Forum lies not merely in the topics under discussion. The crucial aspect is that security agencies from diverse nations are sitting at the same table, directly discussing evolving risks, and establishing connections for practical cooperation. At a time when global threats increasingly transcend borders, the gathering of special service chiefs from more than 100 countries in Baku explains why this platform has attracted such widespread attention.
