The 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council continued with plenary sessions

Held on March 1, the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council, continued with plenary sessions on Ministerial session on the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy, Southern Gas Corridor session: future vision and Green energy session in the background of COP 29: using renewable energy opportunities.

The Minister of Energy of the Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov said that this meeting was marked by the 10th anniversary of the Advisory Council and the fact that it was held on the eve of COP29, when Azerbaijan was entrusted with leading the global energy transition. By successfully integrating energy security and energy transition issues, the Advisory Council is entering the new era as a platform to promote a fair energy transition. The development of the Southern Gas Corridor and increasing gas supplies, the establishment of the Caspian-Black-Sea-European Green Energy Corridor and the supply of renewable energy are a new stage in the energy security of the region and European countries. Speaking about increasing gas supplies, the Minister said that Azerbaijan has already begun to implement this important priority of the expanded strategic energy partnership with the European Union: “As a result, the growth in gas exports to Europe increased to 45%, and the number of supplying countries increased to 8. Last year, 11.9 billion cubic meters of gas was exported to Europe, 9.5 billion cubic meters to Turkey and 2.5 billion cubic meters to Georgia. The use of the Trans-Balkan belt as an additional route also plays a role in this growth dynamics. Additional volumes provided by Azerbaijan is also the source of the supply to Serbia and TAP, the throughput of which has been increased. All these, as well as the measures taken to develop the projects Absheron Phase1, ACG Deep Gas, UMID Stage-2 and Karabakh are clear indicators of Azerbaijan's efforts and it being a reliable partner in the current conditions".

It was noted that the export of 5 GW out of the 10 GW of green energy capacities planned by 2030 GW at the initial stage by green corridors through the Black Sea and Turkey to Europe, as well as cooperation with Central Asian countries will contribute to the green transition.

European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said in her speech: “We need more dialogue and collaboration among reliable partners to achieve energy security and succeed in our energy transition in this crucial decade. Azerbaijan continues to be a trusted partner for the EU in gas supplies. Therefore, we are now also exploring to extend the cooperation to green electricity. Our meetings today were crucial for this. We are already looking forward to cooperate with Azerbaijan on COP29 later this year."

Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye Nevzat Shatiroglu noted in his speech: “Such high-level participation to this meeting demonstrates the determination of countries in the region for further collaboration towards energy security and a cleaner future with green energy. We have to achieve long term security of energy supply by diversifying sources and routes. These giant projects can be realized by means of close cooperation. Türkiye continues to serve as a key facilitator for the energy projects in the region with its unique location between the East and the West."

First Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili said: “The South Caucasus Pipeline, as well as TANAP and TAP projects are among the most successful energy initiatives in the world. These projects are perfect examples of mutually beneficial cooperation between the host countries, supported by the United States and European states, international financial institutions and companies. Georgia is committed to continuing active dialogue with Azerbaijan, Türkiye, other participants in the Southern Gas Corridor, EU representatives and stakeholders to achieve full-scale development of the Southern Gas Corridor initiative.”

Belinda Balluku, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania, said: “The Southern Gas Corridor is a mechanism for further encouraging energy cooperation and partnerships between our countries, promoting this way economic development, connectivity, and energy security in the wider region. Albania is well-positioned to utilize TAP to access natural gas supply as a new source of energy, supporting domestic energy needs and reducing reliance on electricity as a single source of energy, while improving affordability and accessibility for households, businesses, and industries."

Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said that meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the Green Energy Advisory Council are of greater importance at a time when each of us has to commit to the coordinated implementation of energy transition goals. Also, given our chairmanship of G7, we want to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this direction within the framework of the chairmanship of COP29.

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby said: "Southern Gas Corridor is a vivid proof that the diversification of energy routes, supplies and energy security are the foundations of national security. Looking ahead, energy diversification and energy security will increasingly also mean diversity in the types of energy we use. As the host of COP29 on the global stage, Azerbaijan has a tremendous opportunity to help continue the momentum from COP28, particularly on issues like tackling methane where partnership with oil and gas companies will be critical."

Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Ioan Burduja said: “The Romanian Transmission System Operator TRANSGAZ has provided counter-flow capability in transit pipelines so that the Trans-Balkan corridor can operate to its full potential and transport the necessary gas reserves not only for Romania, but also for other states of the region. The Black Sea Submarine Cable Line has significant potential for the transmission of renewable energy. This provides an important opportunity to ensure green energy supply to Europe.”

Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, who attended the Advisory Council meeting for the first time, said: “We have a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, and we are always exploring new avenues for collaboration, reflecting the shared vision of prosperity and mutual growth. With focus on energy security, affordability, and economic growth."

Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said: "Alternative natural gas transportation routes through Azerbaijan and Türkiye have become possible thanks to the unprecedented solidarity of EU member states and regional partners. Thanks to this cooperation, Moldova is becoming more and more energetically independent.”

Slovenian Minister of Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer, on the other hand, said: “Gas has always been a significant part of the energy mix in Slovenia and throughout Europe, particularly in the industrial sector. As of right now, our partners are crucial to the EU's efforts to diversify its gas supplies, with Azerbaijan standing out as a key strategic partner."

Péter Sztáray, Minister of State for Security Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, said: “Hungary has always supported the construction of the Southern Gas Corridor, and its capacity building is of paramount importance not only for Hungary, the Central and Eastern European region, but also for the rest of Europe. Under the Solidarity Ring Agreement, regional infrastructure investments will be made to allow more Azerbaijani gas to reach the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, and Turkish gas resources will also play an increasing role in the gas supply of our region. We hope that in the future Azerbaijani gas will be able to substantially contribute to natural gas diversification in the Western Balkans."

Deputy Minister of Energy of Bulgaria Iva Petrova noted in her speech: "Energy transition is impossible without guaranteeing national and international energy security build upon strong regional solidarity and cooperation on green energy corridors. An example is the operation of the Southern Gas Corridor, which became possible as a result of solidarity and cooperation and joint responsibility arising from a reliable partnership.”

Greek Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy Alexandra Sdoukou said: "It's a little more than three years since the Corridor became fully operational supplying more than 10 bcma of gas from Azerbaijan to Europe via Greece. Greece also works systematically to complement and expand the SGC by on the one hand supporting the doubling of TAP by 2027 and on the other hand, constructing or upgrading new export infrastructure, such as the Alexandroupolis FSRU and the pipelines to Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Serbia's State Secretary at the Ministry of Mining and Energy Veljko Kovacevic expressed his position as follows: "At the end of the construction of the Serbia-Bulgaria Interconnector, in Baku we agreed on deliveries of up to 400 million cubic meters of gas per year from Azerbaijan until 2026, a volume that could triple thereafter. Azerbaijani gas has already been recognized as part of the solution for diversifying gas supply sources in Europe. Owing to new gas interconnections, it is now contributing to the greater energy security of the Republic of Serbia and the region."

Ivo Milatich, State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, said: “Regarding IAP project, it is necessary to speed up activities in next few months with all our partners – Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In that sense, we especially value the tremendous support that SOCAR gave us. That was crucial for bringing it to this stage of preparedness. We will boost our activities and revive successful cooperation between the four countries, with great help of Azerbaijani vison of delivering gas to Europe, to ensure additional source of gas from the EU border to Southeast Europe."

State Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of Economy Kamil Sasko said: “Cooperation on gas diversification projects is crucial for enhancing energy security for the region of Central and Eastern Europe, which is still vulnerable. I came here to personally support Southern Gas Corridor and following gas corridor Solidarity Ring bringing Caspian gas to our region. I believe the personal involvement of each of us, including our stakeholders, will accelerate the implementation of this crucial diversification project for our region."

First Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Azim Akhmedkhadjaev said in his speech: “We are ready to actively participate and contribute to the work of the Green Energy Advisory Council. We are committed to playing a constructive role in developing the global transition to green energy and building a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.”

Representatives of SOCAR, bp, Azerbaijan Gas Supply Company, TANAP, TAP, ADNOC, Asian Development Bank and World Bank made speeches at the Southern Gas Corridor session: future vision.

At the Green Energy session in the background of COP29: using renewable energy opportunities, the presentations by the AREA, CESI, SOCAR, Kazakhstan Renewable Energy Support Computing and Financial Center LLC, Masdar, bp, ACWA Power, Fortescue Future Industries, WindEurope, SolarPower Europe, TotalEnergies, Hydrogen Europe, European Bank for Reconstruction and development, the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, the IFC, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank on the transition to green energy, investment and market prospects in the energy transition, and projects implemented in the field of renewable energy were heard.