Azerbaijan and Türkiye plan to collaborate further for the energy transformation ahead of the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference, set to take place in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku later this year, according to the country’s Energy Minister, Perviz Shahbazov.
Shahbazov told Anadolu on the sidelines of the 29th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition during Baku Energy Week, which ran between June 4 and 6, that both Türkiye and Azerbaijan plan to develop projects together.
Part of Azerbaijan's plan is to triple renewable energy, particularly in the country’s Nakhchivan region, from where power can be transmitted to the Turkish market.
The two “brotherly countries” already have strong energy ties, having established projects to transmit gas to Türkiye and to Europe via Türkiye.
“The two countries have realized very lucrative projects not only for our nations but also for other countries and regions,” Shahbazov said.
Infrastructure investments, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), ensure both regional and European energy security.
New agreements have been signed during the exhibition to expand gas transmission. The natural gas supply agreement between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, which was due to expire at the end of 2024, was also extended until the end of 2030.
The two countries are also working to increase electricity interconnection capacities between Türkiye and Nakhchivan.
Azerbaijan will host this year's climate negotiations at COP29 in Baku between Nov. 11 and 22.
On Tuesday, in a message to the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his readiness to fully support Azerbaijan in its preparations for hosting COP29.
'We will continue the successes achieved in the United Arab Emirates during the COP28, and we want to work together with Türkiye as well,” Shahbazov said.
Although water and energy will be key topics up for discussion at this year’s UN event, Shahbazov said the most important issue is finance because it is indispensable for this energy transformation.
By Firdevs Yuksel and Handan Kazanci in Baku
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr