Aliyev and Meloni discuss strategic relations between Baku and Rome

The meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni confirmed the strategic nature of the partnership between the two countries. Meloni wrote about this on the social platform X.

She said that the two sides expressed “readiness to continue deepening co-operation in all sectors of interest, starting with energy, including in light of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the next (climate conference) COP29 to be held in Baku in November.”

“I also wanted to reiterate Italy's commitment to the stability and prosperity of the Caucasus region and support for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to achieve lasting peace, underlining that the role of the EU is an integral part of this process,” Meloni continued.

In her view, the co-operation with the EU can open new opportunities for the entire region.

“The meeting also made it possible to hold in-depth discussion on the main topics of the international agenda and to test the overall synergies of the “Mattei Plan”. Following the meeting, ENI S.P.A. and SOCAR signed three memoranda of understanding in the areas of energy security, greenhouse gas emission reduction and bio-fuel production chain,’ Meloni noted.

Note that the "Mattei Plan" envisages a program of Italian aid to African countries.

The plan is named in honor of Enrico Mattei (founder of Eni), who in the 1950s advocated that Italy should support the governments of North Africa in economic development and development of natural resources.

It ought to be noted that the Azerbaijani President also met with Claudio Descalzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Italian company Eni S.P.A.

Three documents were signed in the presence of Aliyev and Meloni:

"Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan and "Eni S.P.A" of the Italian Republic in the field of bio-fuels and bio raw materials";

"Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation between the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Eni S.P.A of the Italian Republic on Upstream and Midstream Oil and Gas Projects to Ensure Security of Energy Supplies";

"Memorandum of Understanding between the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan and "Eni S.P.A" of the Italian Republic on Energy Transition and Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions".

It is worth adding that the head of state together with his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva arrived in Milan from Rome. Video footage of Aliyeva's stay at Lake Como has been circulated in social networks.