On 23-24 April 2024, Dr Marat Terterov, Principal Representative of the Brussels Energy Club (BREC), conducted a working visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, to participate in a high-level conference on ‘COP29 and Green Vision for Azerbaijan’: the 6th ADA University Policy Forum.
This program included an invitation-only roundtable with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E, Ilham Aliyev, in which Dr Terterov duly participated along with several other international experts. There was also a side visit to the towns of Lachin and Zangilan, near the borders of Iran and Armenia. Dr Terterov spoke at some length during the proceedings of the conference and side events, addressing the following topics:
Energy transition in the South Caucasus – the fact that Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan will undergo their own individual transitions due to the structural differences in the energy sectors of each country
Electricity market liberalisation and regional interconnection projects, including those involving Iran and Russia
The need for Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage in economic integration today, and not to wait for a peace deal to be finalised between the two countries
Commencement of economic cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan prior to the finalisation of a peace deal would serve to bolster investor confidence in the South Caucasus energy markets, sending a strong signal to proponents of regional economic integration
The Energy Charter Treaty – Although the EU is pulling out of the Treaty, countries in the region remain members and have not signalled their intentions to withdraw. Energy investments from Armenia and Azerbaijan into each other’s economies would remain protected by the Treaty for decades to come.
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