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Azerbaijan will export natural gas to Syria via Türkiye to help address the war-torn country's severe energy shortages, officials announced Saturday during a working visit by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the Azerbaijani capital.
The announcement came during talks between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Sharaa, marking a significant step in energy cooperation between the two nations as Syria grapples with power cuts lasting more than 20 hours daily due to conflict-damaged infrastructure.
According to a statement from the Azerbaijani presidency, "The importance of cooperation between our countries, especially in the energy sector, was noted at the meeting, and it was noted that Syria is currently facing a serious energy problem."
"In this regard, it was emphasized that the project for the export of Azerbaijani gas to Syria from Türkiye will be implemented in the near future, and it was noted that this will contribute to Syria's energy security. It was brought to attention that Azerbaijan is capable of contributing to the restoration of Syria's energy sector," the statement added.
The conflict in Syria has severely damaged the country's power infrastructure, creating widespread energy shortages that have crippled daily life and economic activity.
During Sharaa's visit, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian government.
The agreement was signed by the Azerbaijani Economy Minister and SOCAR Supervisory Board Chairman Mikayil Jabbarov and Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir, according to the Azerbaijani State News Agency (AZERTAC).
The contents of the memorandum were not disclosed in the official announcement.
"Today, I accompanied (Syrian) President Ahmad Al-Shara in an official visit to Azerbaijan where we discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the field of natural gas to secure the future of energy in Syria," Bashir said in a statement on X.
"An agreement was signed with SOCAR regarding the supply of natural gas to Syria, a step towards energy independence and building strategic partnerships that serve the nation and its citizens," he added.
Earlier this month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan quoted his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev as saying that Azerbaijan is "ready to provide all kinds of support on natural gas to Syria."
President Aliyev noted that the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime had pursued unfriendly policies toward Azerbaijan for many years, leading to stagnation in bilateral relations. He emphasized that cooperation perspectives had significantly expanded following the new administration's rise to power in Syria.
"After the new administration came to power in Syria, our perspectives for cooperation have seriously expanded, and we desire to advance this," Aliyev said.
Sharaa thanked Aliyev for Azerbaijan's brotherly support to Syria, acknowledging that the previous regime had damaged relations with many countries, including Azerbaijan.
"Now our country is open to cooperation with Azerbaijan in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other fields," Sharaa stated.
Aliyev drew attention to Azerbaijan's reconstruction and development efforts in areas liberated from Armenian occupation, suggesting this experience could contribute to Syria's post-conflict reconstruction process.
"Taking into account our country's experience in reconstruction and construction work carried out in the liberated territories, it was emphasized that in this regard, Azerbaijan can contribute to the reconstruction and construction process in Syria in the post-conflict period," a statement from the Azerbaijani presidency noted.
Sharaa praised Azerbaijan's achievements and successful liberation of its territories, noting that Azerbaijan had faced difficulties in the 1990s but successfully overcame them. "Azerbaijan is developing today," he added.
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