(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 2. Azerbaijan is
interested in political, economic and military cooperation with
countries that have great economic power and Political influence in
South Caucasus region and in Europe. One of the closest partners of
Azerbaijan is Italy. The main indicator of the development of
Italian-Azerbaijani relations from year to year, are the official
and working visits of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Rome,
bilateral documents, signed during the visits, the timely
implementation of the signed documents.
Another working visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Italy took
place on September 1-2, 2022. The goal of this visit, at the
invitation of the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and
dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between two countries, was to discuss topical
issues in various directions in the process of implementation of
Joint Declaration on strengthening Multidimensional Strategic
Partnership signed by President Ilham Aliyev during a state visit
to Italy in February 2020, further expansion cooperation in these
areas, and the definition next result-oriented steps.
Steps that have contributed to the development of
historically significant ties between Azerbaijan and Italy over the
last period:
- Azerbaijan's ties with Italy in the field of education
began to expand with the signing of an agreement between the
countries on cooperation in the field of culture, science and
technology in Baku on June 1, 2002;
- A monument to the outstanding Azerbaijani poet Nizami
Ganjavi was unveiled in 'Villa Borghese' the famous Roman park in
2012;
- During the state visit of President Sergio Mattarella to
Azerbaijan on July 18-19 in 2018, the Joint Declaration on Higher
Education was signed between the ministries of education of the two
countries;
- President Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit to Italy on
February 19-20, 2020. During this visit, 28 documents were signed
between the two states. Among the signed documents - Joint
Declaration on strengthening the multidimensional strategic
partnership between Azerbaijan and Italy, which had an exceptional
importance;
- During a state visit, President Ilham Aliyev and First
Lady Mehriban Aliyeva got acquainted with the building intended for
the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Rome in February 2020;
- During President Ilham Aliyev' state visit to Italy in
February 2020, he met with the heads of leading Italian companies
and took part in the Azerbaijani-Italian business forum in Rome
with the participation of about 100 companies from both
countries;
- Exchanges between scientific and academic circles, higher
educational institutions of Azerbaijan and Italy were intensive.
Italy is known all over the world for its competitive and highly
professional space in the field of higher education;
- Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in the cultural
and humanitarian spheres has been further developing. The projects
implemented by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Italy before the
pandemic and the organized events made a great contribution to the
development of ties and interethnic contacts in the field of
culture. The festivals of Azerbaijani cinema and Azerbaijani
cuisine traditionally held in Italy, have also opened up additional
opportunities for promoting the culture of the country.
Azerbaijan's support for the restoration of cultural monuments in
Rome also influenced the further increase of Azerbaijan's authority
in Italy;
- The most important achievement in education field between
Azerbaijan and Italy is reaching an agreement about creating
Italian – Azerbaijani university in Baku, during President Ilham
Aliyev's visit to Italy in February 2022. As part of this visit, a
memorandum on mutual understanding between Azerbaijan's ADA
university and Italian National Louis University. A conceptual and
strategic document of Italian-Azerbaijani universities has been
prepared, other leading higher educational institutions of Italy
and the world have been identified as partners, along with the
Luiss University, the University of Bologna, the Polytechnic
University of Turin, the Polytechnic University of Milan and the
Sapienza University of Rome. Specialties in the field of
agriculture, food industry, engineering, including mechanics,
electrical engineering and transport engineering, architecture and
design, social sciences, innovation and entrepreneurship.
-The Joint Declaration on strengthening the multidimensional
strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the Italy signed in
February 2020 reflects specific provision on cooperation in
education and science field. Programs including student and
academic exchange between the university of Azerbaijan and Italy
are being actively implemented.
- As an indicator of the high level of cultural ties between
our countries, 2020 was declared the 'Year of Azerbaijani Culture
in Italy';
During the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Luigi
Di Maio to Baku on April 2, 2022, a document was signed as part of
the strategic dialogue between Azerbaijan and Italy. With this
document, relations between the two countries reached a new, higher
level. The parties not only accepted each other as strategic
partners, but expressed desire to further strengthen this strategic
partnership in all directions. Another important aspect of the
joint declaration is that it became the first document under a
similar name and in a similar spirit signed by Azerbaijan with
other countries. The Joint Declaration also established a strategic
dialogue between the two countries under the chairmanship of
foreign ministers;
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov
participated in groundbreaking ceremony of the Italian-Azerbaijani
University on the campus of ADA University. The Italian side was
represented at the event by Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Luigi Di Maio, who was on a visit to Baku at the time;
- Cultural Center of Azerbaijan will also function in the new
building of Embassy of Azerbaijan, that opened in the center of
Rome as part of the working visit of President Ilham Aliyev to
Italy;
- A ceremony was held in Rome to exchange signed agreements on
academic cooperation between ADA University and five leading
Italian higher education institutions - Luiss Guido Carli
University, La Sapienza University in Rome, Turin Polytechnic
University, Alma Mater University in Bologna and Milan Polytechnic
University in connection with the definition of the framework of
cooperation on Italian-Azerbaijan university, creation of faculties
and programs on September 1, 2022
Deep political and economic ties that connect Azerbaijan
and Italy
After the return of the great leader Heydar Aliyev to the
leadership of Azerbaijan in 1993, close ties with states located
both in the South Caucasus region and in Europe and possessing
great authority began to be established for the development of the
country's economy, commercial and economic agreements were signed.
This tradition was continued by President Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan
has become the most reliable political and economic partner of
European states, in particular Italy, in a short time. The special
significance of Italy for Azerbaijan from a military and political
point of view is that Italy is a country that actively supports the
strengthening of Azerbaijan's cooperation with the EU and NATO.
Also, in the relations of Azerbaijan's strategic partnership
with Italy, cooperation in the trade and economic field is of
particular importance. Italy is Azerbaijan's first trade and export
partner. This partnership is further developing. For example the
volume of trade turnover between the two countries repeated the
indicators of the pre-pandemic period ($9 billion) in 2021,
exceeded the indicator of 2021 in eight months of 2022 amounting to
more than $11 billion. Azerbaijan is also Italy's largest trading
partner in the South Caucasus, accounting for more than 90 percent
of Italy's trade in this region.
Azerbaijan ranks first in terms of oil supplies to Italy and
third in terms of gas supplies. The Southern Gas Corridor and the
Trans-Adriatic Gas Pipeline (TAP), which is part of it, are an
important factor in strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy
field and energy security field in Italy. Currently, the pipeline
capacity is 10 billion cubic meters. However, it can be increased
to 20 billion cubic meters. TAP currently meets about 10 percent of
Italy's gas needs. It's expected that as a result of the
implementation of the agreement reached with the European Union on
increasing the volume of gas supplied by Azerbaijan to Europe, the
mentioned figure will increase up to two times.
Azerbaijan closely cooperates with Italy in the oil and gas
sector, as well as in industry, construction, trade, agriculture,
communications, services and other areas. Currently, there are more
than 100 Italian companies operating in Azerbaijan in the areas
listed above. A number of companies are involved in restoration and
construction work in the territories liberated from Armenian
occupation, and negotiations are underway with other interested
companies.
Development of ties with Azerbaijan is one of priority national
interest of Italy.
Documents signed over the recent years, efforts on their
implementation, mutual economic and political interest created a
new field for cooperation in Azerbaijani-Italian relations, turned
the countries into reliable partners for each other in political
and economic area. A striking example of this is the special
significance of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Italy. In
particular, visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Rome takes place
during the interim government in Italy. Traditionally, during the
periods of the interim government foreign visits are not made to
Italy, meetings with foreign official delegations are not held,
decisions on domestic and foreign policy are not made.
However, Italy, interested in further development of cooperation
with Azerbaijan, made special efforts to ensure that the visit of
President Ilham Aliyev to Italy took place, despite the limited
activities of the government. This proves once again that one of
the most influential states in Europe, the eighth largest country
in the world by economic indicators in 2022, a member of the the
Group of Seven and NATO – Italy, attaches special importance to
relations with Azerbaijan. It's also obvious that the strategic
partnership with Baku has become a priority national interest of
Rome.
Both President Ilham Aliyev and President Sergio Mattarella
emphasized the development of relations between Baku and Rome, and
noted the fact that all the agreements reached are being
implemented.
After the ceremony of exchange of documents, signed in
connection with creation of Italian-Azerbaijani university in Rome,
President Ilham Aliyev noted that both countries are embarking on a
new page of their relations.
“I am very delighted that the first event to be held in this
building is related to the field of education. Today, we are
embarking on a new page of Italian-Azerbaijani relations. We are
starting a new page of large-scale cooperation in the field of
education. Two years ago, when I was on a state visit to Italy, I
made a proposal to create an Italian-Azerbaijani University. The
Italian leadership also welcomed it, and a short while later we are
already starting practical activities. Two years ago, when I was on
a state visit to Italy, I made a proposal to create an
Italian-Azerbaijani University. The Italian leadership also
welcomed it, and a short while later we are already starting
practical activities. In April this year, the foundation of a new
educational building was laid at the campus of ADA University in
Baku with the participation of Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di
Maio. Cooperation between leading Italian universities and ADA
University will strengthen the already friendly relations between
the two countries. The Luiss University, the University of Bologna,
the Polytechnic University of Milan, the Polytechnic University of
Turin, the Sapienza University of Rome – these names are famous
outside of Italy as well. Let me also inform you that two
institutes will operate under the Italy-Azerbaijan University – the
Institute of Agriculture and Food Sciences and the Institute of
Design and Architecture.'
In turn, Italian President Sergio Mattarella touched upon the
30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Baku and Rome during a meeting with President Ilham
Aliyev.
'This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. This
morning you inaugurated a new building of the Azerbaijani Embassy.
This is an important example of the friendly relations between
Italy and Azerbaijan. After a visit in 2020, which is evidence of
the strategic nature of our relationship, I am very pleased and
honored to welcome you here at the Quirinale Palace again.”
From the speeches of both heads of the state, the attention is
paid to implementation of documents signed between Baku and Rome
over the past years, it becomes clear that relations between
Azerbaijan and Italy will henceforth develop at an even higher
level and diversify, and cooperation in both economic and political
fields will enter the multilateral plane. The expansion of
political ties between Azerbaijan and Italy, one of the largest
economies in Europe, will further increase Baku's authority in
Europe and further strengthen Azerbaijan's position in
international organizations. Further development of economic ties
will lead to a large influx of investments from Azerbaijan to Italy
and from Italy to Azerbaijan.
Currently, there is a favorable investment environment in
Azerbaijan, and wide opportunities have been created for
international investors. Azerbaijan's close economic ties with
Italy, the most important member of the EU, and the Azerbaijan's
image as a reliable partner will further attract the attention of
international investors, and multinational companies will compete
for investments in Azerbaijan, located on international trade
routes, which are East-West, North-South transport routes, as well
as the Zangazur Corridor under construction.
Naturally, against the background of ongoing economic turmoil,
wars and political tension in the world, the projects implemented
under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, deep economic and
political ties with the countries of the world serve the
development of the Azerbaijani state, further improving the welfare
of Azerbaijani people.
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