The Sheikh Zayed Foundation from the United Arab Emirates announced the awarding of the prize for 2026. According to information on the official website of the foundation, the award was given for the signing of the Agreement on Peace and Inter-State Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which ended the prolonged conflict in the Caucasus region.
Nikol Pashinyan stated that this ceremony symbolizes not only the celebration of the "peace agreement" but also confirms that Yerevan and Baku have "turned the page on the conflict." He added that this award belongs to every Armenian and Azerbaijani who "dared to hope for peace."
Ilham Aliyev emphasized that "for more than 30 years we were in a state of war. Now we have been living in peace for six months, and this is a unique feeling."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan conveyed his congratulations to both leaders in a video message.
It is also worth noting that earlier, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov expressed confidence that Azerbaijan and Armenia would be able to build a solid foundation for long-term cooperation. He recalled how Kyrgyzstan successfully resolved border issues with neighboring countries in a spirit of friendship and trust, and expressed hope that a similar path would lead to sustainable peace for both Baku and Yerevan.
The process of peacefully resolving the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan occurred against the backdrop of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended in 2023 when Baku fully regained control over the region.
