President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan has developed “a unique experience in how to build cities and villages from scratch” while highlighting the country’s role in urban development and Europe’s energy security.
Speaking in Baku during the 13th United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13), Aliyev described hosting the event as “a great honour” for Azerbaijan.
“182 countries have gathered here. And this is a good demonstration of respect for Azerbaijan,” he told Euronews' Jane Witherspoon, noting that the number of participants had reached a record high.
The President said the forum provided an opportunity for Azerbaijan to present its achievements and future plans in urban development while also learning from international partners.
“Harmony between the preservation of historical heritage and architectural heritage and the need to modernise the cities should go hand in hand,” Aliyev said.
President Aliyev described Azerbaijan’s reconstruction efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur as “a unique experience in how to build cities and villages from scratch” following years of devastation in the formerly occupied territories.
“It was unfortunately due to the large-scale devastation of the occupied territories, so we had to do it,” he said.
Aliyev noted that around 85,000 people had already returned to the region over the past five years as reconstruction efforts continued.
“So electricity is number one,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan had already commissioned 307 megawatts of hydropower, while another 340 megawatts of solar power was under construction.
He also highlighted large-scale transport and infrastructure projects, including tunnels, bridges, railways, schools and hospitals. Smart city and smart village concepts are also being implemented throughout the region.
“This really, for those countries which suffered similar problems like we did, could be a pattern for reconstruction,” Aliyev stated.
President Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Europe in the energy sector accelerated after the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor in 2020.
“In terms of the number of countries to which we supply gas via pipelines, we are number one. The number is growing,” he said.
According to the President, Azerbaijan currently supplies natural gas to 16 countries, including 10 European Union member states. He noted that demand for Azerbaijani gas continued to increase as Europe sought alternative energy sources.
“So it's a win-win situation. We need a premium market, which is Europe. And Europe needs an alternative source of supply, which is Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
He also announced that Azerbaijan was preparing to begin gas production from a new field in the near future.
Commenting on tensions in the Middle East and the Hormuz crisis, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s diversified energy routes and infrastructure had protected the country from major supply chain disruptions.
“We always advocate for diplomacy,” he said, adding that regional cooperation had been essential to Azerbaijan’s energy strategy and international connectivity projects.
“Without diplomacy, we wouldn't have been able to deliver our resources to the markets,” Aliyev noted.
The President added that Azerbaijan’s experience in establishing cooperation between producers, transit countries and consumers could become even more important as countries reconsider energy policies following regional crises.
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