Gas, geopolitics, AI: Baku sets energy agenda Euronews on forum details

The rapid reshape of global energy supply routes and markets is a key focus at the Baku Energy Week 2026.

Opening Baku Energy Week 2026, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said the “world cannot live without fossil fuels,” while also insisting that countries “should be judged on how they invest in renewables,” Caliber.Az quotes an article published by Euronews. 

Speaking about Azerbaijan’s role in global energy markets, Aliyev said it was “difficult to imagine what the European market would look like without the South Caucasus.” 

Artificial intelligence, gas geopolitics and emissions reduction dominated the opening day of Baku Energy Week 2026 on June 1.

The event highlighted an industry under pressure to modernise while maintaining reliable supply. Digitalisation was repeatedly framed not simply as a technological trend, but as a growing commercial necessity for producers facing rising operational costs and increasingly competitive global markets.

Industry representatives described AI as becoming increasingly central to upstream oil and gas operations. Several presentations focused on how machine learning and predictive analytics are now being used to optimise drilling operations, reduce equipment downtime and improve exploration accuracy. 

Companies showcased emissions-monitoring systems, leak-detection technologies and carbon-management solutions aimed at reducing methane emissions without disrupting hydrocarbon production.

Another recurring theme was the growing overlap between traditional hydrocarbon production and the global technology sector.

Participants highlighted the growing importance of partnerships among oil producers, software companies, and engineering firms as digital infrastructure becomes more integrated into exploration and production activities.

Moldova’s Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said countries are increasingly trying to balance “three main objectives": energy security, affordability and a "sustainable and just” green transition.

Junghietu also stressed that despite the accelerating transition towards cleaner energy systems, natural gas remains strategically important.

“Azerbaijan was and will still be one of the key suppliers of gas to Europe,” he said. 

The strategic role of Azerbaijan and the wider Caspian region featured prominently throughout the forum, particularly as European countries continue efforts to diversify supply routes and strengthen long-term energy security partnerships.

Bulgaria’s Deputy Energy Minister Kiril Temelkov described Azerbaijan as a “sustainable and reliable partner.”

“More than 30% of the consumption in Bulgaria is supplied by Azerbaijani gas,” Temelkov said.

Temelkov said Baku Energy Week is increasingly becoming “a real event for innovations in the energy sector,” particularly in areas such as renewables, grid modernisation and energy efficiency.

Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev told Euronews that the forum had become an important international platform for energy diplomacy and regional cooperation.

“The platform is very useful,” Ibraev said. “At this time, I think that it will be very useful to exchange experience.”

According to Ibraev, Kyrgyzstan plans to connect nearly 1.9 gigawatts of solar capacity to its network in phases, while broader renewable energy agreements already cover around six gigawatts of future projects.

Baku Energy Week continues throughout the week with further discussions expected on LNG infrastructure, renewable energy integration, regional transit corridors, offshore development and the expanding role of artificial intelligence across the global energy sector.