BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 14. The geography of Azerbaijan's successful cooperation continues to expand, covering new regions and strengthening ties with traditional partners. One of these emerging areas is the Balkans, where the development of bilateral relations with the Republic of Albania plays a key role.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Albania on September 22, 1993, cooperation between the two countries has been steadily growing, becoming more dynamic and multilateral in recent years. There has been a consistent increase in political contacts, accompanied by a growing interest in deepening collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
The foundation of Azerbaijan-Albania relations remains built on principles of trust and mutual respect. Within the framework of bilateral dialogue, key areas with the greatest potential for cooperation have already been identified. Economic cooperation is at the heart of both countries' agendas, with a special focus on energy, seen as one of the highest priority areas.
The completion of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) marked a strategic milestone in strengthening energy cooperation, providing Albania with additional opportunities to develop its energy infrastructure. An important step in this direction was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the General Gasification Plan for Albania, with Azerbaijan being viewed as a key partner.
Albania holds a leading position among countries interested in accessing Azerbaijan's energy resources. Despite being part of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) transit countries, Albania does not currently receive Azerbaijani gas due to a lack of necessary internal infrastructure. To address this issue, Albania plans to build a pipeline connecting the Vlora power plant to TAP and is also considering constructing a liquefied natural gas terminal. These steps are aimed at enhancing energy security for Albania and the region as a whole.
A significant strategic advantage for Albania has been its participation in the TAP project, from which the country has gained both economic and geopolitical benefits, reinforcing its role as a regional energy hub and transit corridor. Looking ahead, the development of the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), which will be connected to TAP, will allow Albania to strengthen its position as a gas distribution center for Southeast Europe.
Albania is already a transit country for gas, but is striving to become a country that both receives and transports gas for domestic and regional consumption. In this context, Albania highly values Azerbaijan's efforts to develop regional energy projects and sees them as a tool to strengthen ties between the countries of the Western Balkans and enhance their energy security.
According to the TAP consortium's plans, from 2026, the pipeline's capacity will increase by 1.2 billion cubic meters per year, allowing for gas supplies to Albania of around 200 million cubic meters annually. Parallel discussions are also underway regarding cooperation with SOCAR on the gasification of the Albanian city of Korça, as well as the potential use of the underground gas storage facility in Dumrea.
In March 2025, the Albanian gas service company AGSco signed a contract worth 42 million lek (around $443,000) with Tech Inspect for an assessment of TAP infrastructure in Albania. The work is scheduled to be completed by September 2025. AGSco, responsible for operating TAP in Albania, is 75% owned by the Albanian government, with the remaining 25% held by the Italian state-owned company Snam.
As for the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), its total length will be about 511 kilometers, with 96 kilometers passing through Montenegro and 37 kilometers under the Adriatic Sea. The pipeline's capacity will be 5 billion cubic meters per year, with Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina receiving 1 billion cubic meters each, Montenegro 0.5 billion cubic meters, and the remaining 2.5 billion cubic meters allocated for Croatia and Central Europe.
The TAP consortium has already signed memoranda of understanding and cooperation with key partners in the IAP project, including companies such as Plinacro (Croatia), BH-Gas (Bosnia and Herzegovina), GeoplinPlinovodi (Slovenia), as well as with the governments of Montenegro and Albania.
In addition to active cooperation in the energy sector, Azerbaijan and Albania have identified several other areas with significant potential for further development of bilateral cooperation. These include tourism, agriculture, food security, transport, trade, culture, education, and healthcare.
Azerbaijan has invited Albanian companies to participate in the reconstruction and development of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, as well as in projects within the Alyat special economic zone and the International East-West Corridor through the Caspian Sea.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani investors have expressed their readiness to seriously consider investment projects in Albania, including in the fields of tourism, agriculture, and other sectors.
A significant step in institutionalizing economic interaction was the establishment of a joint working group between Albania and Azerbaijan on economic, industrial, and technological cooperation in May 2023. The creation of this working group is seen as a key step toward further deepening relations in areas of mutual strategic interest. The establishment of the intergovernmental commission reflects the high level of constructive dialogue and mutual understanding between the two countries.
On March 1, 2024, an Agreement on Economic Cooperation was signed between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania. The document envisions the development of cooperation in priority areas, including trade, investment, energy, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, environmental protection, and humanitarian affairs.
By the end of 2024, the volume of trade between Azerbaijan and Albania reached $2.455 million, which is nearly 61% higher than the previous year's figure ($1.527 million).
A key step in strengthening bilateral cooperation was the introduction of a visa-free regime between Azerbaijan and Albania starting last year. This move is intended not only to foster an increase in tourism exchanges but also to create more favorable conditions for developing business contacts. The removal of the visa requirement serves as an additional incentive for closer relations between the two nations, opening new opportunities for interpersonal, cultural, and economic connections.
A significant event in the development of diplomatic relations was the opening of embassies. This step reflects the mutual commitment to deepening political dialogue and expanding the areas of cooperation.
Humanitarian contacts are also becoming more active. For example, in September 2023, with the organizational support of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Culture, the Week of Azerbaijani Culture was successfully held in Albania. Such events contribute to the promotion of Azerbaijani culture and traditions, as well as to the development of cultural dialogue between the countries.
Mutual visits, including Albanian participation in key international events in Baku such as the Southern Gas Corridor Consultative Council meeting, the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), and the Baku Global Forum, play a key role in the bilateral agenda. These visits demonstrate Albania's interest in active participation in regional and global processes and its commitment to expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in various formats. In this context, the visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Albania in November 2022 was of particular significance. This visit marked an important milestone, setting a new momentum for cooperation. During the visit, high-level meetings were held, and prospective areas for expanding partnership were discussed.
One of the key characteristics of Azerbaijan-Albania relations is the high level of political mutual support at both bilateral and international levels. The countries show solidarity and support for each other within various international organizations, reaffirming their commitment to the principles of international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
A particularly important moment in this context was the statement made on July 7, 2023, in Baku during a joint press conference by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Albania Bajram Begaj. The Azerbaijani leader stated that the two countries had created a special dynamic in their bilateral relations, based on friendship and mutual support.
"We are actively working in international organizations, supporting each other, primarily in the United Nations and Islamic Cooperation Organization. At the same time, we are very grateful to Albania for supporting Azerbaijan in the organizations where Azerbaijan is not present. I already expressed my gratitude to Mr. President and the Government of Albania for support to Azerbaijan during the last year's Francophonie Summit, where there was an attempt by one member state of Francophonie to pass the paragraph and to include the paragraph into a final document - a paragraph of anti-Azerbaijani substance," said President Ilham Aliyev.
Albania has always unwaveringly supported Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Along with political support, a key example of solidarity between the two countries was the humanitarian assistance provided by Azerbaijan to Albania following the devastating earthquake on November 26, 2019. Following President Ilham Aliyev's instructions, Azerbaijan sent 500,000 euros in financial aid to Albania for disaster relief. This act of support confirmed the sincere nature of Azerbaijan-Albania relations, which are based on mutual assistance and solidarity in difficult times.
In recent years, Azerbaijan and Albania's cooperation has shown steady and comprehensive progress, covering a wide range of areas - from energy and the economy to humanitarian efforts and international cooperation. The two countries' desire to deepen their partnership is based on a solid foundation of mutual trust, political support, and respect for international law.
Azerbaijan and Albania clearly demonstrate how bilateral relations can become a factor in strengthening regional stability and energy security. The implementation of joint infrastructure projects, the expansion of trade and economic ties, as well as the development of humanitarian and cultural exchanges, open new horizons for both countries.
In the context of a changing regional and global landscape, Azerbaijan and Albania continue to actively shape the agenda in the spirit of mutually beneficial cooperation and solidarity, creating favorable conditions for further deepening dialogue and realizing joint projects that serve the interests of both countries and the broader Balkans and South Caucasus regions.