Trilateral Talks Held in Baku with Presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan

Photo: Azertag.az

On November 13, Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan held a trilateral meeting.

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan signed the “Agreement between the governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan and Republic of Uzbekistan on Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy.”

Following the signing ceremony, the Presidents delivered their speeches.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich,

Dear Shavkat Miromonovich,

Dear friends,

This is a significant event in the history of relations between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan today. The three brotherly countries are raising their cooperation to a new level. I would say that the signing of this agreement is a historic event. We are further strengthening the brotherly relations between our countries and will cooperate extensively in the field of green energy. I would also say that the agreement we have signed today opens new opportunities for cooperation between the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus. In fact, the integration processes, the processes related to transportation, energy, and trade between the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus allow us to say that these two regions are acting in a synchronized manner in many areas, including in the field of green energy development.

We are aware of the major plans and the results already achieved regarding the creation of renewable energy sources in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. We are following, if I may say so, a parallel course, and the construction of an electric cable under the Caspian Sea is not only cooperation among our three countries; it is also cooperation on a wider scale.

In my remarks at the conference yesterday, I spoke about Azerbaijan's plans, which are already in the implementation stage, for the construction of a cable from Azerbaijan along the bottom of the Black Sea to Europe. The feasibility study for this project is nearing completion, so we will connect Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the Caspian, and the Black seas with a single energy corridor. It is particularly gratifying that this agreement was signed between three brotherly countries that are always close to each other. Our relations with Uzbekistan have reached the level of an alliance this year, and a relevant agreement was signed. We have been cooperating with Kazakhstan as strategic partners for a long time. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were the first countries to assist us in the reconstruction of Karabakh. The Mirzo Ulugbek School and the Kurmangazy Creativity Center in Fuzuli are clear evidence of our brotherhood. I am sure that we will always be together and support each other in the future as well. I am grateful to my dear friends and brothers, Shavkat Miromonovich and Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich, for taking part in COP29, for enriching our event with their participation, and for their valuable thoughts and messages.

Once again, I would like to thank my dear friends. I also want to thank our dear friend, the Minister of Saudi Arabia, who is also present here today, and all our friends from Saudi Arabia. ACWA Power, the company I mentioned yesterday, is our good partner and investor. It works both in Azerbaijan and in Central Asia. Therefore, this ceremony will be followed by another ceremony, which will expand our cooperation. This involves the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caspian region, the Caucasus, the Black Sea, and Europe.

So, I congratulate all of us and hope that we will see the realization of this project soon. Thank you.

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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said:

- Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Dear Shavkat Miromonovich,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today we are opening a new page in the history of our shared aspiration for sustainable development. The signing of the agreement on strategic partnership is an important stage in the trilateral cooperation for the development of the Central Asia and the South Caucasus regions. The document ushers ample opportunities for the integration of the energy systems of our states and for creation of reliable corridors for the supply of environmentally friendly energy to European and other markets. Kazakhstan plays an extremely important role in this as a major transit territory. The practical fruition of this agreement will contribute to the development of the Middle Corridor as a green bridge connecting our economies. Close cooperation in this key area will step up the exchange of experience and advanced technologies among the three states and contribute to the further strengthening of our energy security.

For Kazakhstan, a country moving towards carbon neutrality, green energy is a priority direction. We are working hard to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, developing technological innovations and creating infrastructure that can underpin our environmental sustainability. Kazakhstan has reached agreements with foreign partners to implement green projects with a total capacity of 43 gigawatts.

I would like to welcome the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia here, as well as representatives of the well-known company ACWA Power. We are grateful to you for cooperation.

Dear friends, today's agreement will be a graphic example of how awareness of shared responsibility, mutual trust and strategic partnership can change the world for the better.

In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ilham Heydar oglu and Shavkat Miromonovich, and to all participants in the negotiations process, for their fruitful work, the results of which we can see today.

I wish all of us success in implementing our plans, which are actually very promising, if not ambitious. May this strategic partnership lay the groundwork for future achievements and open up new opportunities for the sustainable development of the region and the world as a whole. Thank you for your attention.

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President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said:

- Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Dear Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich,

I am greeting you. First of all, I would like to once again congratulate dear Ilham Heydar oglu on the successful hosting of the United Nations Climate Summit. We have all seen this as a recognition of Azerbaijan's authority. Hosting such a significant event in our region for the first time is a clear testament to Azerbaijan's authority on the global stage. Today, we are together creating a new green energy corridor to Europe. This is also a historic event. Taking this opportunity, I would also like to greet the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, who is doing and trying to do a lot. We, the three countries, cooperate in a very friendly atmosphere with Saudi Arabia, and ACWA Power is doing a lot in Uzbekistan, too. I am very grateful that they are heavily involved in our region and do it with great pleasure.

Renewable energy is not just an economic goal. It is our contribution to the future, the result of our sense of responsibility to future generations. I would like to emphasize the environmental significance of this project. The energy to be transmitted is wind and solar energy, a renewable and clean source that will reduce the impact on the climate. In doing so, we support the joint efforts to protect the climate under the Paris Agreement and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Our countries have significant renewable energy resources and can make a great contribution to the global energy transition. In Uzbekistan, large-scale work is underway in this direction with a large program adopted to advance the development of green energy. We intend to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 40 percent by 2030, and also create 4.2 gigawatts of energy storage systems. In addition, we will connect an additional 2.6 gigawatts of renewable generation and 300 megawatts of energy storage systems to the grid by the end of the year. Every year we commission about 2 gigawatts of solar and wind generation capacity.

Dear event participants!

The economic effect from this project will be felt by all our states with thousands of jobs to be created, energy infrastructure to be developed, technological and business ties to expand and, as the bottom line, the living standards of our population to rise. We are facing a number of important tasks to accelerate the implementation of this project. As my esteemed colleagues have already mentioned, this is a very large and ambitious project, and we will do everything to speed up the realization of this ambitious project. This includes establishing a joint venture, developing a feasibility study, agreeing on financing sources and tender procedures. We, all participants, need to ramp up these processes as much as possible. Once again, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to the joint realization of this important regional project.

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The event also included the signing ceremony of the “Implementation Program for Cooperation in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy among the energy ministries of Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan and Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” with the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in attendance.

Following the ceremony, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud convened for further discussions.