Whose Memory, Whose Corridor? Turkey’s Narrative Diplomacy in Azerbaijan and What It Means for the EU’s New South Caucasus Engagement

The South Caucasus is undergoing a significant geopolitical transformation in which connectivity, post-conflict reconstruction and competing external partnerships are reshaping the regional order. This Policy Brief examines Turkey’s post-2020 engagement with Azerbaijan, focusing on how narratives of shared history, cultural affinity and Turkic solidarity have been institutionalised alongside strategic and connectivity cooperation. It introduces the concept of memory engineering to describe the deliberate mobilisation and institutional reinforcement of selected representations of the past in support of contemporary political objectives. Against the backdrop of Azerbaijan’s changing relationship with Russia, the emergence of new regional connectivity initiatives, and the European Union’s expanding engagement through Global Gateway, the Brief argues that infrastructure and connectivity are not politically neutral. Their meaning is shaped by existing historical narratives and competing visions of regional order. It concludes by outlining how the EU can incorporate greater sensitivity to narratives, memory and local perceptions into its connectivity and peacebuilding strategies in the South Caucasus.