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EU working on programming of assistance for Azerbaijan

Business Materials 30 March 2021 17:15 (UTC +04:00)
EU working on programming of assistance for Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 30

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

The EU is currently working on the programming of assistance for the period 2021-2027 for Azerbaijan, European Commission’s (EC) Spokesperson Ana Pisonero told Trend.

Pisonero said that recently (in February 2021) held consultations with relevant stakeholders to discuss future areas of assistance.

“Azerbaijan is a strategic energy partner for the EU, currently supplying around 4.3 percent of the EU’s oil imports. The Southern Gas Corridor is a strategic initiative to bring gas from the Caspian Sea to European markets, and is a key tool for enhancing the security of energy supplies in Europe. Following the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the final part of the Southern Gas Corridor, the first commercial gas deliveries were made to Europe (Italy, Greece and Bulgaria) on December 31, 2020,” she said.

She noted that a possible extension of the Southern Gas Corridor to the Western Balkans has been discussed during the 7th Ministerial Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council (on 11 February 2021).

In 2019, Azerbaijan joined the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P), and further EU support in the energy sector including energy efficiency has been provided through the EU4Energy initiative, Pisonero added.

“Energy efficiency and greener growth by reducing greenhouse gas emissions are going to be the guiding principle of the future of EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, especially in the energy sector. Our cooperation will also focus on renewables energies (e.g. off-shore wind) and possibly green hydrogen,” she said.

In October 2019, the EU adopted a Partnership Priorities Facility for an amount of €27 million to support Azerbaijan in the implementation of the Partnership Priorities in a number of key areas, including governance, economy, connectivity and people-to-people contacts.

“EU bilateral response to COVID-19 in Azerbaijan amounts to €31.6 million, complemented by support through regional initiatives. A major part of the response is funded from the Partnership Priorities Facility, mostly to address the socio-economic consequences of the crisis,” Pisonero said.

The EU bilateral assistance to Azerbaijan continues in the sectors of agriculture and rural development and education. For instance, the “EU4Lankaran programme” of €13.5 million, about to start implementation in 2021, will support competitiveness of fruit and vegetable producers in Lankaran region (focal region of EU assistance), whereas the "Education for Employment" programme of €13.5 million, operational from late 2019, supports the modernization and quality assurance of the education system with a particular focus on skills development.

“In the field of judicial governance, the EU supports establishment of the mediation system, legal aid and improving penitentiary services. The EU also remains the largest foreign donor supporting civil society in Azerbaijan,” she added.

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