BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. Our countries are strategic partners, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during a joint press statement with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Trend reports.
Statement by President Ilham Aliyev
- Dear Madam Prime Minister,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, Madam Prime Minister, I once again sincerely welcome you to Azerbaijan. I am confident that your visit will be another contribution to the development of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Italy.
Our countries are strategic partners; two declarations on strategic partnership were signed in 2014 and 2020. These two documents, which form the basis of our relations, and the matters set out in them are also reflected in real life today. Your presence in Azerbaijan today is yet another testament to the profound substance of Azerbaijan-Italy relations. Everyone is aware that you were in Armenia today. Completing your program in Armenia and coming to Azerbaijan holds a special, highly symbolic meaning for us; at the same time, it is a clear manifestation of the respect and goodwill shown toward Azerbaijan.
As you know, our political relations are at the highest level. Simultaneously, our trade relations are in excellent condition. Italy is Azerbaijan's number one trading partner. Last year, our trade turnover amounted to approximately 12 billion dollars. Naturally, one of the primary directions of our relations is partnership in the energy sector. Here, too, we have supported each other as reliable partners for many years. Azerbaijan ranks second in Italy's oil supply and also second in its gas supply. For us, the Italian market is of primary importance for both oil and gas. Last year, Azerbaijan exported 25 billion cubic meters of natural gas, 9.5 billion of which was exported to the Italian market. Today, during our conversations and negotiations, we held discussions to increase this volume. For this, of course, it is necessary to expand the TAP project, which is an integral part of the Southern Gas Corridor. It has already been expanded to a certain extent, but this process must continue.
Our new area of cooperation — military-technical cooperation — is also promising. This topic was discussed today as well. We have concrete ideas regarding the implementation of joint projects, the organization of joint production, and the combination of Italian technologies with Azerbaijani financial resources. This matter was also discussed extensively.
The Italian market is of great interest to us. Under the leadership of Madam Prime Minister, the Italian economy is developing successfully. Over the past few years, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan has invested approximately 3 billion dollars into the Italian economy. Issues regarding the attraction of these investments into new projects were also discussed.
Of course, Italian companies have a very extensive history of successful activity in Azerbaijan. Currently, about 130 Italian companies operate in Azerbaijan. I would like their number to increase further. Notably, Italian companies have implemented and are currently implementing 23 projects in the liberated territories of Garabagh and East Zangezur. Looking at companies from foreign countries, Italy again holds a leading position in the execution of these projects. Naturally, alongside all these business, commercial, and trade relations, as well as the joint activities of companies and other matters, we have not forgotten perhaps the most important field—education. Last year, the Italy-Azerbaijan University was solemnly inaugurated in Baku. This university will have a significant impact and contribution to the development of education in Azerbaijan. According to the information provided to us, more than 500 students are already studying there, and in the future, they will become both professional specialists and natural ambassadors of Azerbaijan in Italy and Italy in Azerbaijan. Thus, our friendship will continue confidently hereafter.
Distinguished Madam Prime Minister and members of the delegation, I once again sincerely welcome you to Azerbaijan. Welcome to our country.
