Baku hosts 8th meeting of Azerbaijan-UK Joint Intergovernmental Commission
Baku, October 6, AZERTAC
The 8th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was held in Baku, co-chaired by Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, and Lord Anas Sarwar, Minister of State for Trade at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The meeting featured an exchange of views on the current state of and prospects for developing Azerbaijan-UK relations. Discussions focused on opportunities to expand cooperation in political dialogue, the economy and trade, energy, transport and digital infrastructure, agriculture, humanitarian affairs, and healthcare. It was emphasized that the United Kingdom has been one of Azerbaijan’s key economic partners for more than three decades, and, with investments exceeding USD 39 billion, remains the largest foreign investor in the country. Bilateral trade turnover increased by 67% last year, while in the first half of this year, it grew more than 5.5-fold to reach USD 3.6 billion, driven by a 24-fold rise in Azerbaijani exports to the UK.
The meeting highlighted that cooperation with bp continues to advance through the launch of associated gas production at ACG, alongside the Shah Deniz Compression, Shafag-Asiman, Garabagh, and Ashrafi-Dan Ulduzu-Aypara projects, as well as joint activities in Uzbekistan. The 240 MW Shafag Solar Power Plant, expected to become operational next year, and the plan to decarbonize the Sangachal Terminal using its clean energy serve as a benchmark model for the global energy transition. Minister Parviz Shahbazov briefed UK officials on Azerbaijan's ongoing initiatives to establish green energy corridors connecting the Caspian region and Central Asia with Europe. He noted that Azerbaijan aims to reach a Final Investment Decision on the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe Green Energy Corridor by 2029, encouraging active participation from British partners in this and other green connectivity initiatives. He added that the participation of the UK firm Xlinks in this area opens new prospects for joint collaboration.
The meeting highlighted a 14% increase in transit freight between Azerbaijan and the UK in 2025, signaling strong momentum in transport cooperation. The Azerbaijani Energy Minister emphasized the importance of greater participation by British companies and UK Export Finance (UKEF) in infrastructure and logistics projects along the Middle Corridor. The meeting also discussed opportunities to implement joint initiatives and draft a Roadmap covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data centers, and human capital development, as well as establishing joint educational programs with leading UK universities. Participants welcomed the United Kingdom’s support for Azerbaijan’s mine clearance activities and praised the ongoing development of ties in agriculture, food security, education, culture, and tourism.
Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov stated that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attaches particular importance to strengthening friendly ties with the United Kingdom, one of Azerbaijan’s key trading partners, and to further developing multifaceted cooperation. "The results achieved so far provide a solid foundation for elevating our relations to the level of a strategic partnership. Both countries possess the political will and substantial potential to achieve this goal," the minister said. “The documents signed during today's meeting, along with the adoption of a comprehensive Action Plan, demonstrate that our political dialogue is yielding concrete outcomes. The key task is to translate bilateral agreements into tangible results and shared potential into new projects," the minister added.
UK Trade Minister Lord Anas Sarwar stated: “The UK and Azerbaijan have built a strong partnership over many years, underpinned by investment and collaboration across a range of key sectors. Today’s dialogue demonstrates our shared commitment to elevating our bilateral strategic partnership through deeper cooperation in areas ranging from clean energy to AI connectivity, enabling both countries to unlock new opportunities for business and drive economic growth.”
In conclusion, the meeting culminated in the signing of a Protocol and four additional cooperation documents spanning green energy, transport connectivity, and urban mobility. These included a Memorandum of Understanding between Xlinks and the Green Corridor Alliance, a Roadmap between UKEF and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, as well as agreements on cooperation in transport, education, and other sectors with relevant UK bodies and enterprises. The participants also adopted the 2026–2027 Action Plan, outlining over 60 joint initiatives across 10 key sectors.
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