The Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and the Baku City Executive Power have signed a Twin City Agreement to expand cooperation on urban planning, mobility, public transport and green infrastructure.
The agreement was signed during an official trip to Baku by Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, and Eldar Azizov, Head of the Baku City Executive Power. It follows a vision announced during the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
The accord commits both sides to improving quality of life and advancing sustainability-led urban development.
DMT, Baku City Executive Power deal to cover mobility, digital twin systems and urban planning
The signing took place after meetings with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the AYNA Transport Authority, and site visits to infrastructure projects in the capital. The programme presented the city’s work on a data-driven mobility transformation.
Under the Twin City framework, the two cities will work together on mobility transformation, digital twin systems, traffic operations and other elements of urban planning. The agreement also supports participation in exhibitions and events, benchmark studies between institutions, and knowledge exchange on city management.
The agreement sets governance arrangements with shared key performance indicators to track progress and support the scaling of initiatives across both cities.
“It was a pleasure to visit Baku and reaffirm the strong ties the UAE has with Azerbaijan. This partnership reflects the close friendship between our countries and our shared vision for shaping liveable, future-ready cities. Through this agreement, we will leverage collective expertise to drive meaningful long-term progress. In similar global partnerships, we have demonstrated that collaboration accelerates innovation and enhances quality of life,” Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa said in a statement.
During a technical walkthrough of the ‘28 May’ transport hub, named for the country’s Independence Day, the DMT delegation reviewed passenger flows, wayfinding and universal accessibility.
Agreement aligns with UAE–Azerbaijan CEPA and strategic partnership
The delegation also visited White City, a project within Baku’s Master Plan 2040, to review how land-use policy and redevelopment connect with mobility infrastructure.
Officials toured Baku’s UNESCO World Heritage Old City to examine approaches to conservation and pedestrian prioritisation.
Abu Dhabi has other alliances with Shenzhen, where a twinning agreement was signed in January 2024, and Brisbane, where a Sister City relationship has operated for more than 15 years. These links underline the Emirate’s policy of working with municipal authorities to apply approaches to liveability.
The twinning relationship builds on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Azerbaijan, announced during President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Abu Dhabi in February.
The UAE represents 50 per cent of Azerbaijan’s trade with the GCC. The CEPA agreement is expected to add $680 million to GDP and $300 million to the Azerbaijani economy by 2031.
