Human rights groups criticise EU’s Azerbaijan gas deal

theguardian.com:

Human rights groups have criticised an EU deal to ramp up gas supplies from Azerbaijan, as Europe scrambles to secure non-Russian sources of energy.

The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday hailed Azerbaijan as a “crucial” and “reliable” energy supplier, as she announced an agreement with Baku to expand the southern gas corridor, the 3,500km pipeline bringing Caspian Sea gas to Europe.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, EU officials have been touring the world’s fossil fuel producers in search of alternative suppliers, amid growing fears the Kremlin will completely shut down gas flows to Europe.

Standing alongside Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, Von der Leyen said the EU was diversifying away from Russia and turning “towards more reliable, trustworthy partners”, adding she was glad to count Azerbaijan among them. “You are indeed a crucial energy partner for us and you have always been reliable.”

Aliyev, who has presided over rampant corruption and the repression of activists and independent media during his 19 years in power, described the memorandum of understanding on energy signed with the EU as “a roadmap for the future”.

Under the agreement, gas supplies to the EU from Azerbaijan are forecast to reach 20bn cubic metres a year in 2027, up from 8bn currently. Supplies are set to increase to 12bn by 2023.

The plan to more than double existing capacity in five years will “require significant investments to the expansion of the southern gas corridor pipeline network” the memorandum states. It adds that both sides will try to develop infrastructure, “to the extent possible”, ready to be converted for renewable gases.

Von der Leyen said she had discussed with Aliyev his country’s “tremendous