Fariz Ismailzade, Executive Dean at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, analyzes challenges to stability in Azerbaijan. In his article, he brilliantly examines persistent fears about Azerbaijan’s independence and argues that twenty years later, Azerbaijan is a country transformed. He emphasizes the main contemporary features, such as its booming economy, macroeconomic stability, balanced foreign policy, with successful nation and state building processes. He argues that the Azerbaijani state is unlikely to collapse or turn into a failed state and to the contrary, it will continueto strengthen and develop its internal capacity in the near future.