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Saudi Arabia Signs Renewable Energy Cooperation Program with 3 Countries at COP29

Saudi Energy Minister with Presidents of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan (Ministry Website)
Saudi Energy Minister with Presidents of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan (Ministry Website)
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Saudi Arabia Signs Renewable Energy Cooperation Program with 3 Countries at COP29

Saudi Energy Minister with Presidents of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan (Ministry Website)
Saudi Energy Minister with Presidents of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan (Ministry Website)

Saudi Arabia has signed a joint agreement with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to boost cooperation on renewable energy during the COP29 climate summit in Baku.

The deal focuses on developing and sharing renewable energy technologies, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s push for sustainable solutions under its Vision 2030 strategy. The partnership aims to strengthen regional collaboration and advance clean energy projects.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the joint energy agreement with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan during COP29 in Baku.

The signing, attended by the presidents of the three nations, aims to boost cooperation on renewable energy projects.

The new agreement focuses on building regional electricity connections using renewable energy to improve energy infrastructure and integrate clean energy into national grids, according to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy.

It also aims to explore joint investment opportunities, supporting regional electricity projects and renewable energy initiatives led by Saudi firm ACWA Power in the three Central Asian countries.

The countries also agreed to share expertise through knowledge exchanges, conferences, and joint working sessions to strengthen cooperation.

This latest signing follows previous energy agreements between Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan, signed in June 2023, and with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in May and August 2023, respectively.

At the event, Prince Abdulaziz also oversaw two strategic deals between ACWA Power and local entities to support renewable energy projects.

One agreement with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy focuses on developing battery energy storage systems (BESS) to improve grid stability.

The other deal, with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR and UAE's Masdar, aims to develop offshore wind projects in the Caspian Sea, the first of its kind in Azerbaijan.

The Saudi Electricity Company, along with network operators from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop regional interconnection projects.

Additionally, the company signed another MOU with Azerbaijan’s AzerEnergy to collaborate on electricity transmission and the integration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid.

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EU May Suspend Syria Sanctions on Energy and Transport

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
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EU May Suspend Syria Sanctions on Energy and Transport

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

The European Union may soon suspend sanctions on Syria related to energy and transport but has yet to agree on whether to ease restrictions on financial transactions, according to three diplomats and a document seen by Reuters.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the matter at a meeting in Brussels on Monday. The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Reuters on Wednesday she hopes a political agreement on easing the sanctions can be reached at the gathering.
Europe’s approach to Damascus began to shift after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president in December by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the United Nations designates as a terrorist group.
Officials see transport as key for helping Syria’s airports become fully operational, which in turn could facilitate the return of refugees. Energy and electricity are similarly seen as important for improving living conditions to help stabilize the country and encourage citizens to come back.
According to an EU document seen by Reuters, diplomats from the bloc's 27 members recommended taking swift action towards suspending the restrictions "in sectors necessary for economic stabilization and launch of economic reconstruction of Syria, such as those regarding energy and transport”.
The diplomats, who are part of a group that negotiates the EU’s foreign policy positions on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa, also recommended “assessing options for reopening banking and investment relations with Syria”.
“The easing of EU restrictive measures would be rolled out in a staged approach and in a reversible manner, regularly assessing if the conditions in Syria allow for further suspension,” the diplomats wrote, pointing to the need for respect for fundamental freedoms and an inclusive transition.
The wording of the document represents a compromise among EU capitals. Some governments want to move quickly to suspend sanctions, while others prefer a more careful and gradual approach to ensure Europe retains leverage.
If a political agreement is announced on Monday, European officials would proceed to work on the technical details of a suspension.
A number of sanctions should remain in place, according to the document, including measures related to the Al-Assad regime, illicit drug trade and arms trade.