Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Could it be Better?
Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Could it be Better?

Summary/Abstract: Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina are two distant countries with similar near-historical legacies, particularly regarding the tragic events that affected them during the wars of the 1990s. These adversities are certainly one of the reasons why these two states have not been able to establish stronger connections in various fields in the past. Although they established diplomatic ties in 1995, more serious mutual cooperation has only been intensified in the last decade, which, compared to Azerbaijan’s cooperation with other Western Balkan countries, is almost negligible. In recent years, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina have had numerous meetings aimed at strengthening their relations, but it seems that the great potential that exists has not been fully utilized. The visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the spring of 2023 could be considered a turning point in the relations between the two countries however, demonstrating Azerbaijan’s interest in deepening cooperation. It is important to note that Aliyev had been invited to visit several times by members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who in turn, had previously had the opportunity to visit the capital of Azerbaijan on working visits. Among them, the visits of members of the Bosnian presidency, Mladen Ivanić, Bakir Izetbegović, and Šefik Džaferović stand out. To date, there are very few sources on relations between Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina to date, so this paper can be seen as a pioneering effort in discussing diplomatic relations between the two countries. To make Azerbaijan’s foreign policy clearer in this context, it is necessary to present certain segments of its foreign policy after 1993, when under the leadership of President Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan made efforts to strengthen its foreign policy position. The aim of this paper is to present the existing diplomatic relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan using chronological, descriptive, and analytical methods. The hypothesis of this paper is that although diplomatic relations and certain cooperation exist between the two countries, there are many shortcomings, especially when compared to the level of cooperation Azerbaijan has with other Western Balkan countries. The second hypothesis pertains to the prospects for the development of relations between the two countries and the general improvement of cooperation in numerous areas.

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