At the tenth ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the second ministerial meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council, the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan reaffirmed their dedication to the security of supply and decarbonisation. The meetings were held on March 1st in Baku, Azerbaijan, and delegates from 23 governments and representatives of 52 institutions and companies attended.
The meeting was attended by the Business Development and Affiliates General Manager of Enagás, Jesús Saldaña, on behalf of the company, along with representatives from firms involved in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), including BP, Fluxys, Snam, and SOCAR.
The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council was established by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Spanning seven countries and covering 3,500 kilometres, the Southern Gas Corridor is the longest of its kind in Europe. Comprising the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP), Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), it forms a key part of the region's energy infrastructure. Enagás is a stakeholder in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which will see the company assume the presidency from April 2024.
At this high-level meeting, the critical role of the corridor, which includes TAP as a key component, was reiterated as an indispensable natural gas transportation system, securing the supply chain to the European Union from Azerbaijan. In 2023, TAP transported 11 billion cubic meters (bcm), indicating a rise of over 41% since 2021.
The gathering reaffirmed the dedication of nations, financial entities, and corporations to actively engage in tapping the Caspian region's energy resources, encompassing the advancement of decarbonised energy generation and transport.
Additionally, the assembly discussed future proposals like renewable energy production and hydrogen development, aimed squarely at emissions reduction and environmental preservation.
In this context, the Republic of Azerbaijan received accolades for being selected to host the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29, set for November 2024.
