BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12. The visit of European Council President António Costa to Baku on March 11 gives new impetus to the development of Azerbaijan-EU cooperation, the political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
"Costa's visit is an important political event in terms of the development of relations between Baku and Brussels. Within the framework of the visit, meetings were held with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the parties first held one-on-one and then in a large format. During the meetings, views were exchanged on issues such as the state of existing cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and the EU, partnership in the economic and energy sectors, transport projects, regional security, and the peace agenda in the South Caucasus.
Relations between Azerbaijan and the EU have been developing in various directions for many years. This cooperation covers political dialogue, economic relations, energy security, and transport. The increase in high-level mutual visits and meetings between the parties in recent years indicates that relations have entered a more active stage. President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized in his speech that special importance was attached to the visit of the President of the European Council to Azerbaijan.
“We pay a very big importance to your visit," President Ilham Aliyev said.
According to the head of state, this visit will play an important role in further developing bilateral relations between the parties," Garayev noted.
He pointed out that cooperation in the economic sphere is considered one of the main directions of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU.
"The European market ranks high in Azerbaijan's foreign trade, and trade turnover between the parties is steadily increasing. Azerbaijan's economic relations with Europe aren't limited to the energy sector, but cooperation is also expanding in industry, investment, and other areas. President Ilham Aliyev mentioned this issue in his speech, highlighting that "this January, 50 percent of our trade turnover was with the European Union." This indicator shows that the European Union is one of the main economic partners for Azerbaijan and reveals the potential for further expansion of trade relations in the future," he said.
According to the analyst, the energy sector remains one of the most important areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU.
"Especially in recent years, against the backdrop of the increasing relevance of the issue of energy security in Europe, Azerbaijan's role has grown even more. By expanding its natural gas exports, Azerbaijan has become one of the reliable partners of the European market. Large energy projects such as the Southern Gas Corridor are considered the main pillars of this cooperation and play an important role in diversifying Europe's energy supply. Touching upon the current situation regarding Azerbaijan's gas exports to Europe in his speech, President Ilham Aliyev said: "Today, 10 members of the European Union receive gas from Azerbaijan, and the total number of countries is 16." This fact clearly demonstrates the strengthening of Azerbaijan's position in the European energy market and its contribution to Europe's energy security.
Another important area of energy cooperation is the renewable energy sector. Azerbaijan has been paying special attention to the development of green energy projects in recent years. Projects implemented in the field of solar and wind energy are aimed at increasing the share of alternative sources in the country's energy balance. Cooperation with international partners in this direction is also expanding. Azerbaijan's goal is not only to meet domestic energy needs, but also to expand export opportunities in the field of renewable energy in the future. This creates new prospects for cooperation with the EU," he said.
Garayev underscored that cooperation in the field of transport and logistics was also in the spotlight during the meetings.
"Azerbaijan's geographical position makes the country one of the important transit hubs between Europe and Asia. In this regard, the development of international transport routes such as the Middle Corridor is of particular importance. This route allows for faster and more efficient implementation of trade relations between Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan, as one of the main participants in this project, contributes to the expansion of the region's transport capabilities and plays an important role in strengthening logistics ties between Europe and Asia.
In his speech, Costa also emphasized the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijan and noted the importance of expanding relations between the parties. According to him, Azerbaijan is an important partner for the EU, and there are broad opportunities for the development of cooperation in various fields. Costa said that "The Republic of Azerbaijan is a key partner for the European Union." This approach shows the importance that the European Union attaches to relations with Azerbaijan," the analyst said.
According to him, regional security and the peace process in the South Caucasus were also among the main topics discussed during the visit.
"The Azerbaijani side emphasized the importance of ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region. President Ilham Aliyev noted in his speech: "There can be nothing better than peace. Believe me, we know what it is like to live in a situation of war or to be at war. So countries like ours value peace maybe more than any other." These views show that Azerbaijan is a supporter of long-term stability and cooperation in the region. At the same time, Baku considers ensuring lasting peace in the South Caucasus as a key condition for future development and security," he said.
Garayev noted that, in general, Costa's visit to Azerbaijan demonstrates the strengthening of relations between Baku and Brussels.
"The expansion of cooperation in the fields of energy, economy, transport, and security demonstrates the development of a strategic partnership between the parties. The existing dialogue and projects of mutual interest indicate that relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union will deepen further in the future. This visit is considered an important political event that shows that cooperation between the parties will not only be maintained at the current level, but will also be developed in new directions," he added.