The 3rd session of the Italy–Azerbaijan Economic Cooperation Commission, the main economic event at institutional level between the two countries, has come to a successful conclusion in Baku. For Italy, the meeting was chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Dassù, and for Azerbaijan, by Energy Minister Natig Alyiev.
Issues on the agenda included energy, the sector that to date has been the most important in the economic partnership. Indeed, the sector now holds out even more promising prospects thanks to the potential offered by the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Foreign Minister Emma Bonino will be attending the ceremony taking place tomorrow, 17 December, to mark the definitive investment decision on the Southern Gas Corridor.
Equal prominence was given in the discussions to the need to diversify and re-balance trade, through a stronger role for our small and medium-sized enterprises. And also through the interest shown by Italy – which for 6 years now has been Baku’s leading commercial partner – in Azerbaijan’s infrastructure modernisation projects. These include the construction of the city’s new airport, the extension of the capital’s metropolitan line, and rail and motorway links.
Deputy Minister Dassù also met the Minister for the Economy and Industry, Mustafayev, and the leaders of the state oil company, Socar. She was accompanied by a delegation that included representatives of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and important Italian funds (such as F2i), the aim being to open another strand of strategic cooperation, in the financial sector.
