Azerbaijani ambassador speaks on prospects in energy cooperation with Kazakhstan in interview with The Astana Times

The volume of Kazakhstan's oil transit through Azerbaijan is set to increase by over 60 per cent in the short term. 

In an interview with The Astana Times, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aghalar Atamoglanov provided these figures while speaking about the trade relationship between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, particular in the field of energy, Caliber.Az reports.

Atamoglanov noted that a string of agreements between the countries have brought steady growth in this area with plans in place to continue gradually increasing the volume of Kazakh oil transiting through Azerbaijan. The ambassador pointed to this positive trend by recalling that 1.3 million tons of Kazakh oil were exported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in 2023 which was already a 5.5 fold increase from 2022.

“In 2024, this figure increased to 1.5 million tons. As one can see, cooperation in this area is growing, further illustrated by the shipment of the first batch of oil from the Kashagan field to Baku. According to forecasts, the volume of Kazakh oil transiting through Azerbaijan is expected to reach 2 million tons,” he said.

The ambassador further noted that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are also working on improving transport infrastructure to meet international standards, including acquiring new ships, tankers, and other equipment. A key project in this area of cooporation is the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), a corridor connecting China to European markets via the Caspian Sea. 

“The advantageous location of both countries along key transcontinental transport and communication corridors provides ample opportunities to further expand our cooperation in this sector. Both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have created all the necessary conditions to support this goal, including the construction of modern seaports, railways, highways, and other essential infrastructure,” Atamoglanov said.

The diplomat added that exporting electricity from Central Asia to European markets via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan has become a key priority on the regional cooperation agenda. 

To facilitate this, a high-voltage power transmission cable will be laid along the seabed of the Caspian, creating a new infrastructure link between the regions.

“During the COP29 climate summit last November in Baku, the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan signed a strategic partnership agreement on the production and transmission of green energy. The initiative aims to establish a reliable corridor for the delivery of clean energy to European markets, aligning with global efforts to transition to renewable sources,” he said.  

By Nazrin Sadigova