Sheikh Mohammed laid a wreath at the tomb of Azerbaijan’s founder, Heydar Aliyev, in Baku and then visited the Eternal Flame memorial at Martyrs Lane, laying a wreath while a band played the national anthems of the UAE and Azerbaijan, the state news agency Wam reported.

Baku’s mayor, Mir Hajibala Abutalibov, briefed Sheikh Mohammed and members of his accompanying delegation about the landmark, built in memory of the military and civilian victims of the 1990 Soviet crackdown on Baku, Black January.

Sheikh Mohammed praised the country’s past glories and its progress under the leadership of president Ilham Aliyev, who leads a development drive to ensure prosperity for his people.

The delegation accompanying Sheikh Mohammed includes Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Emirates Group chief executive, Mohammed Al Gargawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Sultan Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State, and other Government figures, as well as Salem Al Ghafli, UAE ambassador to Azerbaijan, who previously pledged to help grow relations between the UAE and Azerbaijan during his tenure.