President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

The head of state thanked the delegation led by Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for participation in a special session of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and described it as a good sign of bilateral relations.

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa said they were honored to meet with the Azerbaijani President and attend the event marking the 100th anniversary of the Great Leader, and thanked for the warm hospitality shown in Azerbaijan.

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula lauded the excellent organization of the session to mark the 100th anniversary of the Great Leader, saying the event had provided a good opportunity for delegations from various countries to meet and share opinions.

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa underlined that the Azerbaijani Leader successfully continued the National Leader’s policy, highlighted the Great Leader’s exceptional role in the history of Azerbaijan as a great personality and leader, and underscored his exceptional role in the development of the country. She said the development path traveled by Azerbaijan is an example.

President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan was in a very dire situation when the founder of the statehood, the Great Leader, came to power in the country. Thanks to the National Leader’s strong will and tireless efforts, Azerbaijan managed to get out of the difficult situation to embark on the path of development.

During the conversation, they underlined the need for the expansion of bilateral ties, noted that there is good potential for cooperation and discussed the issues related to cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy, tourism, and education.

Successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Republic of South Africa within international organizations, including the Non-Aligned Movement, was noted at the meeting.