Italy becomes transit hub for Azerbaijani gas to Germany, Austria

Italian MPs are expecting a visit from their Azerbaijani counterparts in the near future, Marco Scurria, chairman of the Italy-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group, said at the “From the Caucasus to the Mediterranean” conference in Rome.

“Politics should ensure a calm and reliable path for companies wishing to develop in Azerbaijan. Institutional relations with the Azerbaijani parliament are also developing very well. I invited our Azerbaijani colleagues to visit Rome in the coming months, in return for the visit we made to Baku some time ago,” he said, Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

According to Scurria, the South Caucasus is receiving unprecedented attention from Italy.

“The president of the Council of Ministers recently visited several countries in the region, initiating a new model of cooperation between Italy, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Azerbaijan is also strategically located – near Iran and not far from Ukraine. This opens up prospects for future economic ties, especially if, as we hope, peace is achieved between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

Investments and energy cooperation

Azerbaijani investments in Italy total approximately €2.5 billion, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Italy Rashad Aslanov said at the conference.

The diplomat recalled that last year, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) invested €34.5 million in Italo - Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori S.p.A. (Italo), Italy's leading high-speed rail operator.

“This was the first such step. Furthermore, in the renewable energy sector, SOFAZ acquired approximately 50% of Enfinity Global Inc., a company implementing projects in Italy. Solar power plants with a total capacity of 400 MW are being built [through these investments] in the Emilia-Romagna and Lazio regions,” the ambassador said.

Aslanov emphasised that Italy is Azerbaijan's main trading partner.

“Italy accounts for 65% of Azerbaijan's trade turnover, 45% of which is in the energy sector. Azerbaijan is Italy's number one oil supplier and its number two natural gas supplier. Some 17% of Italy's gas needs are met by supplies from Azerbaijan,” he said.

The ambassador added that since January 2026, Italy has also become a transit country for Azerbaijani gas.

“Azerbaijani gas has begun to be delivered to Germany and Austria. This adds value to the work accomplished over the past ten years,” he said.

Trade outlook and business cooperation

Between 2026 and 2029, Italian exports to Azerbaijan will continue to grow and reach €600 million, Pietro Infante, head of the Internationalisation Department of the Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Unioncamere), said at the conference.

Infante noted that Italy and Azerbaijan, thanks to their geographical location, play a central role in new trade routes between Europe and the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia.

“The Caucasus is becoming an increasingly important region for Europe. This is confirmed by the South Caucasus strategy and economic cooperation within the Eastern Partnership, whose importance has increased, including in matters of energy diversification and the creation of new transport corridors, such as the Middle Corridor,” he said.

He emphasised that Italy and Azerbaijan enjoy a strategic partnership and strong bilateral relations.

“Italy will remain the main market for Azerbaijani exports in 2026. Italian exports to Azerbaijan, currently around €500 million, are also showing steady growth. Unioncamere is currently developing business support tools. We would also like to confirm our readiness to organize business missions and B2B meetings in Azerbaijan,” Infante emphasised.

By Sabina Mammadli