By Elena Kosolapova
Two Azerbaijani nationals have become the first citizens of the country to receive prestigious honours from His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in the history of UK–Azerbaijan relations.
Vice President for the Caspian Region, Communications and External Affairs at bp, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, was awarded the Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), while Director of British Council Azerbaijan, Nargiz Hajiyeva, received the Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
The honours were presented during a special ceremony held at the residence of the British Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld.
Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli received the OBE in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of relations between the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan. Through his work at bp, he has played a significant role in building strategic partnerships that have contributed to Azerbaijan’s economic, social, and cultural development.
Nargiz Hajiyeva was awarded the MBE for her services to education and for strengthening ties between the two countries. Through her work at the British Council, she has helped create educational and exchange opportunities that continue to benefit younger generations in both Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom.
The awards rank among the most prestigious honours granted by the British monarchy. The OBE is the second-highest-ranking grade of the Order of the British Empire, while the MBE is the third-highest. Traditionally, such honours are bestowed upon political leaders, public servants, cultural figures, and individuals who have made exceptional contributions to society and international cooperation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Fergus Auld described bp and the British Council as two of the United Kingdom’s strongest and most respected institutions in Azerbaijan. He highlighted bp’s pivotal role in the country’s development since the signing of the “Contract of the Century” and noted the company’s contribution to Azerbaijan’s progress.
The ambassador also emphasized that the British Council has been operating in Azerbaijan for nearly three decades, supporting the development of human capital, education, and cultural exchange.
Auld said it was a special honour for him to present the awards to two individuals for whom he holds deep personal respect. According to the ambassador, both Aslanbayli and Hajiyeva have made a lasting contribution to strengthening UK–Azerbaijan relations not only during his own tenure in Azerbaijan, but also throughout the service of several previous British ambassadors.
Receiving the honours, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli and Nargiz Hajiyeva expressed their gratitude to the British side for the high recognition of their work. They underlined the importance of continuing to strengthen cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom in the fields of business, education, culture, and people-to-people ties.
Both recipients also noted that they viewed the awards not only as personal achievements, but as recognition of the collective efforts of the teams, colleagues, and partners they had worked with throughout their professional careers.
