The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and the Baku City Executive Power have signed a Twin City Agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation in urban planning, mobility, public transport, and green infrastructure.
The partnership was formalized during an official visit to Baku by Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, and Eldar Azizov, Head of Baku City Executive Power. The agreement builds on a shared vision highlighted during the official visit of Ilham Aliyev to Abu Dhabi earlier this year and reflects a joint commitment to improving quality of life and advancing sustainability-driven urban development.
The signing followed high-level meetings with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the AYNA Transport Authority, as well as technical site visits to major infrastructure projects in the capital. Officials were briefed on Baku’s data-driven mobility transformation program.
Under the Twin City framework, Abu Dhabi and Baku will collaborate on mobility transformation initiatives, digital twin technologies, traffic operations, and broader aspects of urban planning. The agreement also promotes participation in exhibitions and events, benchmarking studies between institutions, and knowledge exchange in city management practices.
The accord establishes governance mechanisms supported by shared key performance indicators, allowing both cities to monitor progress and scale successful initiatives within their respective urban environments.
Al Shorafa said the partnership reflects the strong ties between the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan, emphasizing that collaboration would help accelerate innovation and enhance livability standards.
During the visit, the DMT delegation toured the ‘28 May’ transport hub, where they reviewed passenger flow systems, wayfinding strategies, and accessibility measures. They also assessed the White City redevelopment project under Baku’s Master Plan 2040 to examine how land-use policies align with mobility infrastructure.
Officials further visited Baku’s UNESCO-listed Old City to explore best practices in heritage preservation and pedestrian prioritization.
Abu Dhabi has previously established similar strategic alliances, including a twinning agreement with Shenzhen signed in January 2024 and a long-standing Sister City relationship with Brisbane spanning more than 15 years. These partnerships underscore the emirate’s commitment to collaborating with global cities to implement forward-looking urban solutions.
The new twinning relationship complements the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Azerbaijan, announced during President Aliyev’s official visit to Abu Dhabi in February.
The UAE accounts for half of Azerbaijan’s trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council, with the CEPA projected to contribute $680 million to the UAE’s GDP and $300 million to Azerbaijan’s economy by 2031.
