The delegation of the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) attended the international event titled “Bridging Regions: Addressing Climate Change and Renewable Energy Challenges and Opportunities in EU, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus,” organized by the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Addressing the event, AIR Center’s Chairman of the Board, Farid Shafiyev, briefed the audience about the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the overall geopolitical situation unleashed around the South Caucasus region.

Touching on the developments between Azerbaijan and Armenia, F. Shafiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is committed to the peace agenda and keeps actively working towards achieving a peace treaty with Armenia. He pointed out that Azerbaijan supports the direct contacts between the parties, which are much more result-oriented and have yielded tangible outcomes so far.

“The involvement of the third parties in regional affairs poses a serious threat not only to the Armenia-Azerbaijan relations but also to the entire region and beyond that.”

Speaking about Armenia’s ongoing militarization, he said that this campaign is counterproductive and can lead to renewed tensions.

F. Shafiyev also drew attention to Azerbaijan’s growing interaction with the Turkic World and the Central Asian countries, noting that these partnerships will contribute to the security of the whole international architecture against the backdrop of the existing crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.

AIR Center’s senior advisor Shahmar Hajiyev delved into the green energy projects implemented by Azerbaijan. Touching on Azerbaijan’s successful energy partnerships with BP, the UAE’s Masdar, ADNOC, Saudi-listed ACWA Power, China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment, and Japanese TEPSCO, he stressed that all of these initiatives demonstrate Azerbaijan’s commitment to environmental protection and climate action.

“As a continuation of future green energy initiatives, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania signed an agreement to build an underwater electric cable through the Black Sea. This green energy project will connect the South Caucasus with South-Eastern Europe and will serve as the “Green Energy Corridor". Moreover, this will potentially include the renewables from the Central Asian countries in the near future”.

Shahmar Hajiyev also stressed that hosting COP29 will create an enormous opportunity for the South Caucasus and Central Asian nations to promote sustainable development and accelerate green transition.

To recap, the workshop, organized by the University of Groningen, shed light on the main dynamics that will shape the future energy policy, regional cooperation, and sustainable development.