References

Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition started 30 years ago in 1994. This event has played an instrumental role in attracting foreign direct investments into the energy sector of Azerbaijan.Since that time, this event has transformed into a bigger event and is now called Baku Energy Week, because it embraces all the major segments of energy policy – oil, gas, upstream, downstream, and of course, green energy.
Coming back to this event, it was actually the first international presentation of the country’s potential. As it was already mentioned, just several months after the first Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition, the “Contract of the Century” was signed on September 20, 1994, which also was a turning point in the transformation of the country. We have managed to establish a very fruitful relationship with our investors. As a result, bp has remained for thirty years and probably will remain for at least another 30 years as our strategic partner. bp from UK and Amoco from United States led the consortium of international oil companies back in 1994 and trusted us.
Over the years, on this platform, which is continuously adapted to tackle global energy challenges, we have strengthened our cooperation, initially rooted in oil, then expanded to include gas, and now collectively advancing towards a sustainable future with "green energy." Azerbaijan has entered a new era as an active participant in the energy transformation process. I am confident that this year's "Baku Energy Week" will be remembered for its comprehensive agenda and the further enhancing of partnership relations, diversifying Azerbaijan's energy supplier role with natural gas and "green energy”.
I extend the best wishes and greetings of His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates to His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. At the same time, I convey his greetings to the people of Azerbaijan. Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank our colleagues from SOCAR. At the same time, I express my gratitude to the organizers of the Baku Energy Week. It's a pretty important week. At the same time, I want to thank you for creating an opportunity to participate in this important event. I would say with great pleasure that, as His Excellency Mr. President noted, the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan will now celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony of three new renewable energy projects. The Bilasuvar and Neftchala solar power plants, together with the Absheron-Garadagh wind project, will produce 1 GW of clean energy to meet Azerbaijan's growing energy needs.
I think that the most important issue discussed at this Forum is bring the most possible green energy and gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. That’s the most important thing. I hope that this event contributes to convincing those who need to be convinced to be able to increase the capacity of the network which connects us with Azerbaijan.
It is exciting to participate in this Forum, a large international gathering of diverse stakeholders from a policy-making and business perspective. So it is a big event that brings together people from all over the world. I believe that this is a regional conference, so it has a high potential to influence politics and business. This is a good opportunity to come together every year to discuss these issues.
The International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition, initiated on May 24, 1994, by our National Leader Heydar Aliyev, has been pivotal in enhancing regional collaboration and advancing sustainable energy, marking it as a cornerstone of Baku Energy Week.
I am confident that Baku Energy Week will continue to serve as a vital platform for discussing regional and global energy topics, enhancing cooperation, and promoting sustainable development.
The Baku Energy Forum is a crucial platform for advancing global and regional energy discussions. As the Group CEO of GL Group, I see the forum as essential for shaping energy policies and fostering collaborations that are vital to the industry’s progress. The discussions and decisions made here, particularly on topics like technological innovation, energy diversification, and sustainability, have the potential to significantly influence the energy sector.
Baku Energy Forum provides a great opportunity to meet with industrial and political leaders from around the world, facilitating knowledge exchange and vision sharing. From this perspective, I view Ansaldo Energia Group's participation to Baku Energy Forum as an invaluable chance to present our approach to the global challenges of energy security, affordability, and decarbonization and to share our vision with other company leaders. To Ansaldo Energia, it is also a highly valuable opportunity to consolidate our relations with Azerbaijan and present our industrial projects in this important country and our commitment to technological and educational cooperation in the decades to come.
This Forum is important because we have learned about this new contract on renewables with UAE – 1 gigawatt (1GW) of clean energy – and we have also learned the targets that the government has for increasing the share of renewables in the energy system. So, this event is a good occasion for people to come up with new commitments and especially for Azerbaijan because it is going to chair COP29. I think, it is important that they also show the clear intention to go faster towards renewables.
This Forum is of interest to me personally as it brings a diversity of regional voice into the global energy conversation. I have come here from the World Energy Congress. We are designing energy for people and planet. That’s our 100th energy congress, while this is the 29th Baku Energy Forum. So, I think, there is a great set of participants here. 
Regarding the cast of participants at this event, I have to say: the level is incredibly high. I think the conversations are very honest and indeed, at a top level, and I have really enjoyed the discussions so far.
This event is much different: it is on a world class level, it is Azerbaijan now that is being courted, it is all the investors now coming saying “hey, we would like to work with you; yes, you are trustworthy, you have delivered”. And the European Union even is saying “Azerbaijan is our strategic partner in energy”. So, it is a huge change and to me, it is a very optimistic situation now, very, very positive.
The Baku Energy Forum brings together energy and climate stakeholders from the Caspian region and from all over the world. As such it is an ideal opportunity to foster international cooperation and raise awareness for the specificities of the Caspian region ahead of COP-29
It is a great honour to be here at the opening ceremony of Baku Energy Week. Azerbaijan, under the able leadership of His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan is a great friend of OPEC and supporter of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) between OPEC and non-OPEC producers. We support Azerbaijan’s constructive engagement for COP29, with a focus on the importance of enhancing international cooperation in climate action to advance the objectives, principles, and goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

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