Baku: Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov recently met with Brendan Hanrahan, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, to discuss new directions in energy collaboration. Discussions centered on the strategic significance of the August 8 meeting in Washington between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and U.S. President Donald Trump, which significantly enhanced bilateral and regional ties, particularly in the energy sector.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the discussions highlighted key cooperation priorities, including investment in the energy sector and strengthening infrastructure for regional connectivity. The meeting also touched upon issues related to the establishment of the Strategic Working Group, which is tasked with preparing the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the U.S.
Minister Shahbazov emphasized the importance of U.S. support for Azerbaijan’s energy security initiatives, underscoring the crucial role of U.S. collaboration in ensuring Europe’s energy supply sustainability. The discussions also reviewed the current status and future prospects of cooperation with ExxonMobil, a long-term partner in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector. This includes potential expansion into new onshore projects and the trade of LNG, crude oil, and petroleum products with the United States via SOCAR Trading.
Further topics of discussion included prospects for cooperation in the hydrocarbon and renewable energy sectors. Of particular interest were green energy corridor projects that would connect Azerbaijan with Trkiye and Europe through Nakhchivan, Armenia, the Black Sea, and Georgia, while also linking Azerbaijan with Central Asia across the Caspian Sea. U.S. companies and investors were encouraged to explore the potential of these projects in Azerbaijan.