Azerbaijan State News Agency

Azerbaijan State News Agency, commonly known as AZERTAC, is the official news agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Its Azerbaijani name is Azərbaycan Dövlət İnformasiya Agentliyi, while AZERTAC derives from the earlier expression Azərbaycan Teleqraf Acentəsi, meaning Telegraph Agency of Azerbaijan. The agency provides state and general news coverage from Azerbaijan and distributes material internationally. AZERTAC reports on the principal areas of public life covered by a national news service, including politics, the economy, education, science, culture, health, sport and the environment. Its output is published in Azerbaijani and a range of foreign languages, including Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. This multilingual model enables the agency to serve domestic audiences while also presenting Azerbaijani official information and perspectives to international media, institutions and readers. The agency was established on 1 March 1920, during the early period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. During the Soviet era it operated under several different names and organizational arrangements. Following the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, the agency's Azerbaijani state-news identity was restored. Between 1995 and 2000 it was known as the State Telegraph Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers. It was subsequently renamed the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency before receiving its current designation. A major institutional change took place in February 2015, when President Ilham Aliyev signed an order changing the agency's name from Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency to Azerbaijan State Information Agency. AZERTAC has also expanded its international cooperation through agreements and memoranda with foreign news organizations. Documented partnerships include cooperation arrangements with the Polish Press Agency, Israel's Tazpit Press Service and Cuba's Prensa Latina. The agency is a state institution rather than a commercial consumer-facing media brand. Its principal role is the production, translation and distribution of news, official statements, photographs and video material. It also maintains an international news-agency function by exchanging content and developing relationships with counterpart agencies abroad. From November 2022, Vugar Aliyev became chairman of the board, succeeding Aslan Aslanov, who had led the organization since 2002. AZERTAC remains active as Azerbaijan's national news agency and an important channel for official domestic and international communications.

Azerbaijan State News Agency, known by the acronym AZERTAC, was established on 1 March 1920. Its creation followed the development of Azerbaijan's modern state institutions and provided the country with an organized channel for distributing official and general news. The agency's Azerbaijani name has changed over time, reflecting shifts in political administration and institutional structure. During the Soviet period, the organization operated under several names. The available historical record identifies multiple directors across the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, including Gubad Gasimov, Mikhail Sinitsyn, Vasily Khaldeyev, Efim Gurvich, Hasai Vezirov, Rafig Zeynalov and Azad Sharifov. These changes occurred within a broader period in which Azerbaijan's news system was integrated into Soviet state communications. After Azerbaijan restored its independence in 1991, the agency's national state-news identity was re-established. It was known from 1995 to 2000 as the State Telegraph Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, and it later operated as the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency. On 26 February 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order changing the name to the Azerbaijan State Information Agency, the formal name associated with AZERTAC today. The agency's remit extends beyond the publication of official state news. It covers politics, economics, education, science, culture, health, sports and environmental issues. Its content is produced for Azerbaijani audiences and distributed internationally through multilingual services in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. This language reach supports the agency's role as both a domestic public-information institution and an international news partner. AZERTAC has developed its external role through cooperation with counterpart agencies and specialist media organizations. A memorandum with the Polish Press Agency was signed in April 2012. In September 2019, AZERTAC entered into a cooperation memorandum with Israel's Tazpit Press Service, followed in October 2019 by a memorandum with Cuba's Prensa Latina. The agency has also been associated with video production and service expansion, including the establishment of a video service and relocation to a new building reported in 2010. Leadership has changed across the agency's history. Shamil Shakhmamedov led it from 2000 to 2002, followed by Aslan Aslanov from 2002 until November 2022. Vugar Aliyev became chairman of the board in November 2022. AZERTAC remains active as Azerbaijan's official national news agency, producing text, photographic and video material and distributing news in multiple languages.

1. 2022Vugar Aliyev appointed chairman

   Vugar Aliyev became chairman of the board in November 2022.

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2. 2015Current formal name adopted

   A presidential order renamed the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency as the Azerbaijan State Information Agency.

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3. 2010Video service and new facilities

   The agency established a video service and moved to a new building.

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4. 2000Renamed Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency

   After its period as the State Telegraph Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, the organization adopted the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency name.

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5. 1995Placed under the Cabinet of Ministers

   The agency operated as the State Telegraph Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers from 1995.

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6. 1991National identity restored after independence

   Following the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence, the agency's Azerbaijani state-news identity was restored.

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7. 1920Agency established

   Azerbaijan's national news agency was established on 1 March 1920.

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A state-owned national news agency positioned as Azerbaijan's official source of domestic, governmental and international news, with broad multilingual distribution.

• Multilingual text newsNews agency service

  AZERTAC publishes news about Azerbaijan and international affairs in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. Coverage includes government and political developments as well as economic, social, scientific and cultural subjects.

• Photo newsVisual journalism

  The agency provides photographic reporting that complements its written coverage and supports media and institutional users seeking visual material from Azerbaijan.

• Video serviceVideo journalism2010

  AZERTAC operates a video news service for audiovisual reporting and distribution. The service forms part of the agency's broader expansion beyond traditional telegraph-style text dispatches.

• 2019Expansion of international agency cooperationStrategy

  AZERTAC uses cooperation agreements to exchange content and strengthen relationships with foreign news organizations.

  What changed. The agency signed memoranda with Israel's Tazpit Press Service in September and Cuba's Prensa Latina in October.

  Aftermath. The agreements broadened AZERTAC's documented network of international media relationships.

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• 2015Adoption of the Azerbaijan State Information Agency nameStrategy

  The agency had previously operated as the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency after a period under the Cabinet of Ministers.

  What changed. A presidential order dated 26 February 2015 changed the formal name to Azerbaijan State Information Agency while retaining the AZERTAC identity.

  Aftermath. The new designation remains the agency's formal institutional name and reflects its continuing role as Azerbaijan's national information service.

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• 2022Vugar Aliyev becomes chairman of the board

  Vugar Aliyev took over as chairman of the board in November 2022 after Aslan Aslanov's long tenure.

  Leadership change
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• 2019AZERTAC and Tazpit Press Service establish cooperation

  AZERTAC signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel's Tazpit Press Service.

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• 2019AZERTAC and Prensa Latina sign cooperation memorandum

  The Azerbaijani agency and Cuba's Prensa Latina formalized cooperation through a memorandum signed in October.

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• 2015Agency renamed Azerbaijan State Information Agency

  A presidential order changed the formal name from Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency to Azerbaijan State Information Agency.

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• 2012AZERTAC and Polish Press Agency sign cooperation memorandum

  The two news organizations concluded a memorandum of understanding covering cooperation and professional exchange.

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• 1920AZERTAC established as Azerbaijan's national news agency

  The agency was established on 1 March 1920, creating a national news service for Azerbaijan.

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1. Azerbaijan State News Agency