On September 30, an expanded meeting took place in Baku between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, who is paying an official visit to Azerbaijan. Following the talks, both sides confirmed the high level of bilateral relations, highlighting their strategic nature and broad prospects for further development.
At a joint press conference, the President of Italy emphasized: “Tomorrow will be an important day for cultural and educational cooperation between Italy and Azerbaijan. We will participate in a joint event that will mark another step towards strengthening friendship and mutual understanding. Italy greatly values these relations and aims to raise them to the highest level.”
President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, noted: “Today, the development of Azerbaijani-Italian relations is evident. Our cooperation is multifaceted and covers many areas — from energy to industrial production, from education to cultural initiatives. We can rightfully call it strategic.”
Special attention during the meeting was given to the energy agenda. The President of Azerbaijan recalled that Azerbaijani oil ranks first in Italy’s energy balance and gas takes second place. “This cooperation has been possible only thanks to sincere relations and mutual trust. The Southern Gas Corridor and TAP have paved the way for new large-scale projects. We are already working with the EU on electricity exports, with a feasibility study for the construction of power lines currently being prepared,” he said.
President Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan’s energy supplies not only secure Italy’s needs but also contribute to the energy security of many European countries. “Italy has always been and remains our reliable partner, actively supporting the development of Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the European Union,” he added.
Both sides confirmed that political dialogue is at the highest level, while Italy remains Azerbaijan’s largest trading partner. President Aliyev also reminded that this is the second official visit of Sergio Mattarella to Baku, with the first taking place seven years ago. “This once again demonstrates that our relations are developing very successfully and that we are true strategic partners,” the Head of State underlined.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the leaders of the two countries expressed confidence that the ongoing joint initiatives in energy, economy, education, and culture will further strengthen the ties between the peoples of Italy and Azerbaijan and solidify the foundation of their strategic partnership in the long term.
