Fitch Ratings has affirmed Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) and senior unsecured rating at 'BB+', the outlook on the long-term IDR is "negative" and the recovery rating is 'RR4'.

The assertiveness with which the government of President Ilham Aliyev is purging certain figures suggests a degree of post-war confidence that previous "untouchables" - once too thorny to confront on the backdrop of a war situation - are now fair game.

British oil major BP plans several maintenances on oil and gas platforms in Azerbaijan in 2021. A BP-led consortium produces oil at Azerbaijan's giant off-shore Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oilfields, which account for most of the country's oil production. Another international consortium that is also led by BP produces natural gas at the major Shah Deniz field.

Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has changed the outlook of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) to positive from stable.

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar), one of the leading renewable energy companies in the world, plans to invest $200 million in the construction of a solar power plant in Azerbaijan, the ex-Soviet country's energy ministry said.

On April 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the head of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.  As reported by the press services of both presidents, the parties discussed the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, and further stabilization in accordance with the Statements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, according to news agency Turan.