The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan reported that its chair, Taleh Kazimov, led a delegation to Istanbul to participate in the 7th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (OIC-COMCEC) Central Banks Forum and delivered remarks on payment services and cross-border transactions. In his speech, Kazimov highlighted the need to make payment services, particularly cross-border payments, faster, more transparent and more accessible through investment in digital infrastructure, greater interoperability between systems and closer cooperation with international partners. He also outlined initiatives underway under Azerbaijan’s 2024–2026 Financial Sector Development Strategy to improve the national payment system, create a supportive environment for market participants and promote secure and efficient payment services.