The 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) Advisory Council is the beginning of a new stage in the development of the SGC project, Zamina Aliyeva, advisor to Azerbaijan’s energy minister, wrote on Facebook, News.Az reports.  

“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,” Aliyeva said.

European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, as well as high-ranking representatives of the US, UK, Turkey, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Turkmenistan are participating in the meeting.

Moreover, the representatives of the energy companies - bp, BOTAS Petroleum Pipeline Corporation, TPAO, TANAP, TAP, SNAM, Fluxys, ICGB, Romgaz, SACE, SGC, Enagas, Uniper, TotalEnergies, Equinor, LUKOIL, as well as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and other structures are participating in the meeting.

The representatives of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power company and UAE’s Masdar company are also participating in the meeting.

The plenary sessions entitled “Southern Gas Corridor: achievements and prospects. Expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor towards new energy markets, including Western Balkans” and “Energy transition - from hydrocarbon fuels and measures to reduce methane emissions to carbon neutrality: paths, challenges, timeframe” are organized within the meeting.

A press conference is planned to be held following the event.

The first meeting of ministers within the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council was held on February 12, 2015, the second meeting - on February 29, 2016, the third meeting - on February 23, 2017, the fourth meeting - on February 15, 2018, the fifth meeting - on February 20, 2019, the sixth meeting – on February 28, 2020, the seventh meeting – on February 11, 2021.

News.Az