Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov met with a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) led by Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting, held within the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the UAE, reviewed the current state and development prospects of cooperation in the oil and gas sector, renewable energy, energy efficiency, regional energy corridors, and logistics. It was noted that strategic bilateral relations are based on high-level political dialogue and friendly relations between the Heads of State. In particular, the activities of joint projects in the energy sector, as well as the Cooperation Committee on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and its subcommittee on energy, and their important role in the development of bilateral cooperation were emphasized.
Discussions addressed the global energy balance, emphasizing the significant share of hydrocarbons and the role of natural gas as a transition fuel. In this context, the sides evaluated joint projects involving energy companies from both countries, specifically focusing on natural gas exports and access to European markets through existing infrastructure. The 230 MW solar power plant was highlighted as a successful milestone, while work continues on 1000 MW of solar and wind projects with Masdar. The officials also discussed the initiative to create the green energy corridor between Azerbaijan and the European Union via the Black Sea, modeled after the Southern Gas Corridor. This project is deemed essential for strengthening Europe’s energy security and accelerating the energy transition. Furthermore, the UAE delegation was briefed on the Joint Venture established between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan for an electricity interconnector. It was noted that the project is currently under feasibility study and is funded by the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Opportunities for cooperation with the UAE in regional energy supply and logistics directions were considered.
At the same time, the issues of expanding cooperation in the field of energy efficiency were also in the spotlight. In this context, an agreement was reached to share the best experience of the United Arab Emirates on the ESCO model and to develop cooperation in new areas in this area.
