Expand Azerbaijani Gas Supplies to Syria via Turkey

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with energy cooperation at the center of their discussions. The two leaders focused on expanding and stabilizing the flow of Azerbaijani natural gas to Syria through Turkish territory, a supply route considered a key pillar of Syria's energy security strategy.

The meeting addressed mechanisms to deepen existing cooperation in the energy sector, with both sides affirming the importance of broadening the scope of gas supplies to help ease Syria's prolonged electricity crisis and support the rebuilding of its damaged infrastructure. President al-Sharaa expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan's continued support, while President Aliyev extended a formal invitation for an official visit to Baku, which was accepted.

Project Scope and Regional Significance

The Antalya meeting served as the starting point for a rapidly developing partnership. A subsequent Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SOCAR, Azerbaijan's state oil company, and Syria's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, outlining an action plan for natural gas exports to Syria. The project operates on a swap mechanism, whereby Azerbaijani gas is injected into the Turkish grid and an equivalent volume is transferred to Syria via the Yavuzlu Metering Station and the Kilis crossing, with an initial daily capacity of up to six million cubic meters, targeting the activation of between 1,200 and 1,300 megawatts of electricity generation at power plants in Aleppo and Homs.

Analysts view this initiative as more than an energy arrangement, describing it as a model of multilateral regional partnership among Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Syria. The cooperation is expected to create a more stable environment for investment and accelerate the rebuilding of Syria's war-damaged infrastructure.

Antalya Diplomacy Forum

The fifth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum was held in Turkey under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and organized by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the theme "Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties." The forum brought together more than twenty heads of state and government, approximately fifteen vice presidents and deputy prime ministers, and over fifty ministers representing more than 150 countries. On the forum's sidelines, President al-Sharaa also met with Kurdistan Region of Iraq President Nechirvan Barzani, with discussions covering regional files and the importance of diplomatic solutions to ease tensions in the area.