Strategic Co-Op Between Azerbaijan And Italy: New Level Of Political And Economic Ties

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1.​ Political, economic, and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Italy have steadily developed since Azerbaijan's independence, reaching a strategic partnership in recent years, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend .

Garayev highlighted that Italy has become one of Azerbaijan's key trade and energy partners.

“Italy is not only a leading trade partner but also a central player in energy cooperation. Azerbaijan primarily exports crude oil and natural gas to Italy, while Italy supplies industrial equipment, technologies, machinery, food products, and luxury goods to Azerbaijan,” he said.

The political analyst emphasized that Italy stands as Azerbaijan's top export partner.

"Italy is Azerbaijan's largest export market, with crude oil shipments to Italy accounting for over half of the country's total oil exports. In the first eight months of this year, approximately 9.1 million tons of crude oil were exported to Italy, valued at around $4.8 billion, marking a 47.7 percent increase in both volume and 21.8 percent in value compared to the same period last year.

Crude oil exports from Azerbaijan to Italy account for nearly 58 percent of the country's total oil exports, underscoring the central role of energy cooperation in Azerbaijani-Italian relations. Energy cooperation, particularly through the Southern Gas Corridor and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), has strengthened these ties, enabling Azerbaijani gas to reach Europe via Italy. TAP, operational since 2020, delivers natural gas to Italy's Apulia region and positions Italy as a strategic transit and consumer country for Azerbaijan's European gas exports," he added.

Garayev noted that the visit of Italian President Sergio Mattarella to Azerbaijan further underscores the depth of bilateral relations.

"The joint statements by President Ilham Aliyev and Italian President Sergio Mattarella on September 30 highlighted the depth and multidimensional nature of relations between the two countries. In their addresses, both leaders emphasized not only political and energy cooperation but also the expansion of partnerships in education, culture, and engagement with the European Union (EU)," the expert said.

The political analyst noted that one of the most noteworthy moments of the visit was the inauguration of the Italy-Azerbaijan University.

“This initiative represents more than educational collaboration; it will act as a bridge connecting the two peoples for future generations. In the energy sector, the successful implementation of the TAP and Southern Gas Corridor projects positions Azerbaijan as a key player in Europe's, particularly Italy's, energy security. President Mattarella underscored Azerbaijan's reliability as a partner and signaled that bilateral relations will be elevated to the highest level. The statements also reaffirmed Italy's active role in advancing Azerbaijan's ties with the EU and its continued support in this regard,” he concluded.

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