Official: Ministerial marks start of new phase in Southern Gas Corridor dev't

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Advisor to Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Zamina Aliyeva has said that today's 8th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) Advisory Council marks the start of a new stage in the project's development.

“The participation of representatives of the EU, namely, two European commissioners, officials from about 20 countries and heads of companies in the meeting shows the great interest of the West in the development of the project,” she wrote on her official Facebook page.

The 8th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council kicked off in Baku on February 4.

The meeting will include plenary sessions on the Southern Gas Corridor: Achievements and Prospects – Extending the SGC to New Energy Markets, including the Western Balkans – and Energy Transition – from Fossil Fuels and Methane Reduction Measures to Carbon Neutrality: Paths, Challenges, and Schedules.

The event is attended by European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, and high-level representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan.

At the same time, representatives from energy companies such as BP, BOTAS, TPAO, TANAP, TAP, SNAM, Fluxys, ICGB, Romgaz, SACE, SGC, Enagas, Uniper, TotalEnergies, Equinor, Lukoil and financial institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and other organizations attend the event.

Representatives of ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia) and Masdar (the United Arab Emirates) are also participating in this year's meeting of the Advisory Council.

It is planned to hold a press conference on the outcomes of the 8th ministerial meeting at the end of the event.

The Southern Gas Corridor is an initiative of the European Commission for a natural gas supply route from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The route from Azerbaijan to Europe consists of the South Caucasus Pipeline, TANAP and TAP.