BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 13. COP29 holds nice
significance for each Belgium and the EU, the Belgian Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Michel Peetermans advised Pattern in an unique interview.
“COP29 is of nice significance for Belgium and the European
Union as a complete. There’s at the moment a worldwide consensus on local weather
change and the need of responding to it. Reaching the three
world targets set within the local weather negotiation course of would require
important efforts in any respect ranges. These targets embrace: retaining the
rise in world common temperature nicely under 2°C and limiting
world warming to 1.5°C; guaranteeing the resilience of our economies
and societies to the impacts of local weather change; and aligning
monetary flows with these targets in low-carbon international locations and
economies resilient to local weather change,” the ambassador stated.
Peetermans famous that quite a few measures are being undertaken at
each the European Union degree and throughout the Belgian state and its
federated entities (significantly the three areas with in depth
environmental competencies: Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-the
capital) to scale back carbon emissions and obtain carbon neutrality
by 2050.
He introduced consideration to the truth that the COP has seen an inflow
of heads of state and authorities in recent times, with over 150
distinguished political figures attending earlier periods.
“Spectacular illustration from Belgium will probably be on show at
COP29. Political heavyhitters and a negotiating crew will make up
the principal delegation. Media, companies, and civil society
organizations are additionally prone to play a major function.
Interplay amongst varied stakeholders is a vital function of the
Conferences of the Events and an integral part of their
success,” the ambassador emphasised.
Peetermans additionally identified that Belgian corporations are nonetheless in
the sport in the case of the event of photo voltaic power in
Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan.
“Together with different chiefs of EU missions, I bought the prospect to
tour the Babek solar energy plant in November 2022. Thus,
collaboration within the renewable power sector is nicely throughout the
realm of risk,” stated the ambassador.
Peetermans additionally introduced up the truth that different industries may
be good locations to work collectively.
“Belgium is a frontrunner in quite a few sectors, together with power
transition, inexperienced hydrogen, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals and life
sciences, nuclear drugs, transport and logistics, and the
growth of industries similar to microelectronics, synthetic
intelligence, and digitalization,” the ambassador emphasised.
Peetermans added that Belgium has a real biopharmaceutical
ecosystem consisting of corporations, universities, analysis
institutes, college hospitals, and bio-incubators. In line with
him, Belgium has over 37 pharmaceutical manufacturing websites, 23
pharmaceutical firm headquarters, and a minimum of 52 analysis and
growth (R&D) and/or scientific trial facilities.
Moreover, the ambassador talked about that Belgium has a number of
logistical buildings, such because the Brussels and Liège airports, the
Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and others.
“Alternatively, Belgium’s industrial base consists primarily of
dynamic and revolutionary small and medium-sized enterprises working
within the world market. Given the true enterprise alternatives in
Azerbaijan, I hope that commerce between our international locations will develop in
the approaching years, together with due to COP29, which can undoubtedly
appeal to a number of Belgian corporations,” he added.
Peetermans additionally highlighted the excessive degree of exercise on the
Azerbaijan Embassy in Belgium; just lately, it organized an
informational session in collaboration with AZPROMO (Azerbaijan
Export and Funding Promotion Company) and, from the Belgian aspect,
with commerce promotion businesses, attended by a couple of hundred Belgian
corporations.
“The commerce representatives for Azerbaijan of the Belgian areas
are based mostly in Istanbul however commonly go to the nation for bilateral
contacts. The consultant from Brussels visited in Could, and the
Flemish colleague will do the identical in June,” the ambassador
added.
Peetermans famous that Belgium is following discussions on
growing the capability of the Southern Gasoline Hall.
“At present, Belgium doesn’t import massive volumes of oil or gasoline
from Azerbaijan, and my authorities’s coverage is primarily centered on
enhancing power effectivity and creating renewable power
sources, together with wind farms within the North Sea. However we’re, of
course, very carefully following the discussions on growing the
capability of the Southern Gasoline Hall. Furthermore, a Belgian firm
owns a 20 p.c stake within the consortium that owns TAP (Trans
Adriatic Pipeline). We perceive the dedication of Central
European international locations to this undertaking, which goals to strengthen their
power independence,” the ambassador emphasised.
He acknowledged that the Baku Power Discussion board, which came about on June
5-6, 2024, provided an opportunity to elucidate the way forward for many initiatives
that may promote gasoline transit from the Caspian in direction of Europe.
“Belgium supported the adoption of the Memorandum of
Understanding between the European Union and Azerbaijan on a
strategic power partnership, signed in July 2022. The political
weight of this settlement is excessive as a result of it exhibits that the 2
events are ready to work collectively to enhance power safety in
the European Union and velocity up the power transition in our
financial system,” added Peetermans.
The ambassador famous that the event of the Center Hall
contributes to the diversification of worldwide routes.
“Whereas commerce between EU international locations and China is especially carried out
by sea from Pacific ports, routing some cargo by Central Asia
and the Caucasus can supply varied benefits by way of velocity,
decrease CO2 emissions, and provide diversification in case of a
disaster,” emphasised the ambassador.
Nations in Central Asia and the Caucasus can reap the benefits of
their advantageous geographical and geopolitical conditions to
entice extra investments alongside the Center Hall, in keeping with
Peetermans, which in flip generates extra employment
alternatives.
“To attain this purpose, it’s essential to work on enhancing
bodily infrastructure and facilitating border crossings by
administrative simplification and harmonization of guidelines,” he
emphasised.
The ambassador additionally added that Belgium itself is a communication
hub within the heart of the EU and has a extremely developed transport
and logistics community, together with the ports of Antwerp and
Zeebrugge, which have fashioned a single entity for a number of years.
Talking concerning the peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Peetermans emphasised that, consistent with the United
Nations Constitution, all states have dedicated to “saving succeeding
generations from the scourge of battle” and residing in a spirit of excellent
neighborliness.
“The European Union, particularly, due to the initiatives of
the President of the European Council Charles Michel, which had been
totally supported by Belgium, has made each effort to convey the
viewpoints of assorted events nearer in accordance with the
ideas of worldwide regulation,” he stated.
He believes that bringing peace to the Caucasus is in everybody’s
finest curiosity, since it is going to assist put an finish to bloodshed within the
future and enhance the financial system of the realm as a complete.
With a view to entice additional buyers for transportation, power
transition, and financial diversification initiatives in Azerbaijan,
the ambassador harassed the necessity for regional stability and
certainty.