Azerbaijan–Slovakia Energy & Trade: Slovakia is pushing for long-term gas supply contracts with Azerbaijan ahead of an October 2027 stop to Russian gas imports, with talks involving Sakova, SPP and SOCAR and potential volumes of about 1.2 bcm/year after 2027. Central Bank & FX: The Central Bank of Azerbaijan has launched a redesigned 100-manat banknote with upgraded security features, while analysts note inflation is still within the CBA’s 2–6% tolerance band, keeping near-term rate moves uncertain. Trade Numbers: Azerbaijan’s foreign trade turnover rose to $24.66bn in H1 2026, with a surplus up 5.9x to $7.98bn; exports to Armenia totaled about $17.13m. OPEC+ Role: Baku hosted the first Technical Committee meeting under the OPEC+ Charter of Cooperation, reinforcing Azerbaijan’s energy-dialogue positioning. TRIPP+ Fund Leadership: Konstantin Sokolov was named head of the U.S. State Department’s TRIPP+ Enterprise Fund (about $201m) to back transport, energy and critical minerals across the corridor including Azerbaijan. U.S. Tariff Pressure on Russian Oil Buyers: A revised U.S. bill cuts the proposed tariff threat to a max 100% (from 500%) for the biggest Russian oil buyers—China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan—while keeping broader sanctions on Russia. Regional Business Connectivity: A modern international airport in Alat Free Economic Zone is expected by mid-2027, aiming to deepen logistics links between Central Asia, China, the Black Sea, Türkiye and Europe. Social Impact: Azerbaijan’s Women’s Support Hot Line saw calls nearly double in H1 2026, with most requests tied to domestic violence and psychological support.