Baku: The 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council were recently held in Baku, drawing representatives from 27 partner governments and 60 institutions and companies.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the meetings underscored the commitment of the European Union and Azerbaijan to their strategic energy partnership, focusing on a stable natural gas supply, renewable energy promotion, energy efficiency, hydrogen production, methane emission reduction, and environmental protection.
In conjunction with the Ministerial meetings, a high-level EU-Azerbaijan Green Connectivity Investment Roundtable took place, involving International Financial Institutions and EU companies. The roundtable aimed to assess priorities and projects related to regional energy connectivity, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, while also charting next steps to address shared challenges and enhance connectivity.
The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council reiterated the Southern Gas Corridor's role as a vital transmission system delivering Azerbaijani gas to a growing customer base. The Council highlighted the corridor's contribution to the EU's energy supply diversification, noting that in 2025, Azerbaijan and SOCAR provided 12.5 bcm of natural gas to EU Member States, marking a 53.8% increase from 2021 levels.
Discussions at the meeting focused on developments in gas production and transmission infrastructure, as well as financing and investment requirements for boosting future supplies. The meeting also stressed the importance of initiatives like the Global Methane Pledge and the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 in mitigating methane emissions.
The IEA and IRENA have assessed that without increased electrification and investments in grids and storage, continued progress in renewables and energy efficiency will not lead to the necessary emissions reductions, energy security gains, and cost savings by 2030 and beyond. Azerbaijan and the European Commission confirmed their commitment to advancing a global electrification agenda, welcoming the Global Energy Transitions Forum's efforts ahead of COP31.
Participants expressed their intention to maintain close cooperation ahead of COP31 in Trkiye, focusing on power system flexibility, cross-border interconnections, and frameworks enabling the energy transition.
Azerbaijan's Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, reaffirmed the strategic importance of natural gas and the Southern Gas Corridor in meeting rising electricity demand and ensuring energy security. He highlighted Azerbaijan's commitment to cross-regional green energy corridors and interconnectors, integrating renewable energy potential with Europe.
EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan J¸rgensen, emphasized the advancing energy partnership with Azerbaijan in alignment with Europe's clean energy transition. He highlighted the strengthened cooperation across the energy spectrum, with European businesses eager to contribute technology, investment, and expertise to the region's clean technology and infrastructure development.