Azerbaijan, the Holy See ink Memorandum of Understanding

On October 26, Azerbaijan and the Holy See signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Vatican.

The memorandum was signed on behalf of the Holy See by Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and on behalf of Azerbaijan by Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office.

Highlighting the significance of the memorandum, Cardinal Koovakad described the document as an important step toward deepening interreligious dialogue. He recalled his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Azerbaijan and particularly emphasized the high level of commitment to promoting peace and harmony in the country.

Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade conveyed President Ilham Aliyev’s greetings to the Prefect of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Emphasizing the importance of the document signed with the Holy See, he also highlighted the significance of the Catholic church currently under construction in Baku, which is expected to be completed in 2027.

The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office stressed the importance of establishing an Apostolic Nunciature (the Embassy of Vatican) to Azerbaijan. He noted that equal conditions have been created for all religions in Azerbaijan.

Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade also underlined that over the past time, Vatican News, the Holy See’s news agency, had occasionally published inaccurate information based on Armenian sources and presented concrete evidence in this regard.

Cardinal Koovakad stated that he would immediately inform the relevant authorities about the matter and assured that the issue would be resolved.

During the meeting, the parties also discussed prospects for cooperation between the Holy See and the Caucasus Muslims Office.