Commissioner Simson in Azerbaijan to boost energy cooperation

Tomorrow, Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, will be in Baku, Azerbaijan, to participate in the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (SGC) and the 2nd Green Energy Advisory Council.

As Azerbaijan prepares to host the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) later this year, this visit reaffirms the strategic energy partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan building on the Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy, signed by President von der Leyen in 2022.

In Baku, Commissioner Simson will deliver welcoming remarks at the inaugural SGC session, before attending the Ministerial Session. Representatives from 23 partner governments will be present. The meeting will be a key opportunity to discuss the capacity expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, which represents a crucial route of gas supply diversification for the EU and its neighbouring countries.

Cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan in the field of renewable energy will also feature prominently in Commissioner Simson’s visit.  First, the Commissioner will participate in the roundtable on the Strategic Partnership in the field of Green Energy Development and Transmission between the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary with a focus on the infrastructure project Black Sea Cable. Also, she will participate at a roundtable with representatives from the Commission, the Azeri government, and the industry association WindEurope to discuss cooperation between EU companies and Azerbaijan on wind energy. The World Bank estimates that Azerbaijan has 157 gigawatts of offshore wind potential in the Caspian Sea. Commissioner Simson will also attend the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in renewable energy projects in Azerbaijan between the Ministry of Energy and Elecnor; and of a Memorandum of Understanding on wind energy cooperation between the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency and Wind Europe. This follows the Commission’s Wind Power Package of October 2023 to help accelerate the deployment of wind energy and support the sector’s competitiveness.

Throughout her visit, Commissioner Simson will also hold several bilateral meetings, engaging in discussions with the President of Azerbaijan, Illham Aliyev, and the Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov.