EU and Azerbaijan Sign MOU on Strategic Partnership in the Energy Sector (By: Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Indonesia, Jalal Mirzayev)

By: Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Indonesia, Jalal Mirzayev

Azerbaijan and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Strategic Partnership in the Energy Sector on Monday, 18 July 2022, regarding gas supply from Azerbaijan to Europe by 2027.

In this regard, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev highly praised the energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union. According to him, this project is completely changing the energy map of Europe, and it is a long-lasting, predictable and highly reliable collaboration.

Meanwhile, the President of the European Union, Von der Leyen said that with the new memorandum of understanding, the European Union opens a new chapter in our energy cooperation with Azerbaijan.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Indonesia, Jalal Mirzayev says the signing is part of efforts to implement the ratification of the Paris Agreement related to limit the temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Both Azerbaijan and the European Union cooperate each other to achieve these goals and can fully implement it, including through regular renewal of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and designing a Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy in line with the goal of achieving zero emissions net by 2050.

In this regard, Mirzayev believes that natural gas will continue to play an important role in terms of energy consumption and power generation in the European Union until 2030. Not only that, in the future, natural gas will also continue to be used in the European Union, while in the future it will be progressively replaced by commitment to climate neutrality by 2050.

Mirzayev acknowledges the importance of the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions collectively by at least 30% by 2030; and take the necessary steps to reduce methane emissions throughout the supply chain.

For your kind information, since Azerbaijan produces fossil natural gas, and the European Union imports it, both of them recognize that the collective responsibility that must be carried out is to make the supply chain efficient, environmentally friendly and climate friendly.

It is important to recognize the existence of green electricity in tackling global warming and mitigating the climate change, as well as to increase the security and resilience of the energy system region. Not only that, it is also important to consider that there is potential for cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency areas including electricity exchange.

In this regard, Mirzayev would like to emphasize that both Azerbaijan and the European Union are committed to mutual respect and support for territorial integrity, inviolability of international boundaries, independence, sovereignty of each other, including all Member States of the European Union, as well as the principle of the good neighborly relations.

It should be underlined that cooperation in this strategic partnership in the energy sector is carried out to facilitate the transportation, trade and export of natural gas, as well as green energy to the European Union and to enhance cooperation in the respective energy transitions.

Mirzayev emphasizes that later, the shipments of Caspian natural gas to the European Union, also potentially be sent to the Western Balkan countries, to support the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor to increase supply diversification according to commercial viability and market demand.

In addition, both Azerbaijan and the European Union support bilateral trade in natural gas, including through exports to the European Union, through the Southern Gas Corridor, at least 20 billion cubic meters of gas annually by 2027, according to commercial viability and market demand. (AK/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)