Day: July 24, 2025

President Ilham Aliyev congratulates President of Uzbekistan  AzerNews

On July 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a phone call to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Azernews reports.

Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) Rovshan Rustamov met with Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Head of Iran Railways, during a visit to the Astara Terminal in the Islamic Republic of Iran — a key junction along the North-South International Transport Corridor, Azernews reports.

Ukrainian journalist praises President Aliyev’s intellect, sense of humour  Aze.Media

Envisioning #Peace in the #SouthCaucasus

@davidkarapet highlights #YerevanDialogue2025’s success in effectively addressing the key challenges of our time

https://t.co/UJYVKYIqY1

The president of Abkhazia served corn porridge to villagers – and even the opposition approved  JAM-news.net

Abkhazia’s president cooks mamaliga

A video from a traditional community celebration in Abkhazia has surfaced online, showing the president of the republic, Badr Gunba, cooking corn porridge – mamaliga.

The video was filmed in Achandara, the president’s ancestral village. As soon as it appeared on social media, Badr Gunba faced a wave of sarcasm and criticism. However, the outpouring of support and approval proved just as strong.

Even the opposition voiced its support for the president.

“Unlike [former president] Aslan Bzhania, who hiked in the mountains wearing short shorts, Badr Gunba shows a clear respect for Abkhaz traditions – and that’s a positive thing,” wrote the opposition Telegram channel Respublika.

Atsynyhua (Ацуныҳәа) is an ancient Abkhaz community holiday with no fixed date. It usually takes place on a Sunday in June or July, and each village decides for itself when to celebrate. In essence, it is a prayer ceremony with a sacrificial offering, held to ask for the well-being of the villagers, a good harvest, and a peaceful life.

All members of the village community, regardless of status or social standing, usually take part in the preparations. Everyone has a role — putting up tents, butchering meat, cooking mamaliga, setting up tables, serving food, and so on.

That’s why the video of Badr Gunba cooking mamaliga wasn’t seen as staged — during Atsynyhua, not even the president is exempt from communal duties.

---

• President of Abkhazia on relations with Georgia, dialogue with opposition, and overcoming energy crisis
• Abkhaz musician allowed entry into Russia – seen in Abkhazia as sign of improving ties with Moscow

---

“This is an essential and obligatory part of our culture – the very meaning of the Abkhaz ethnos and the reason our people have fought for centuries to preserve and develop it,” said Daur Kurmazia, former minister of taxes and now an opposition figure.

In his view, every Abkhaz — including the president — should know how to butcher meat and cook mamaliga.

“And it’s a very good thing that this is being promoted by the president’s personal example. Every patriot should support it, regardless of whom they backed in the elections,” Kurmazia added.

---

Toponyms and terminology used in the article, and views, opinions and strategies expressed in it do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of JAMnews or any employees thereof. JAMnews reserves the right to remove comments it considers to be offensive, inflammatory, threatening, or otherwise unacceptable.

News in Abkhazia

Azerbaijan exported 402,396 tons of fruits and vegetables worth $415.75 million in the first six months of 2025. This represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year, when exports totaled 321,898 tons valued at $334.56 million, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee.