BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 30. In the medium term,
the most promising areas are those where we already see practical
traction and where Azerbaijan’s own priorities are clearly moving,
the State Secretariat for Trade of the Spanish Ministry of Economy,
Trade, and Entrepreneurship said in an interview with Trend.
The digital economy is currently the most dynamic pillar, with a
Spanish technology firm already well established in high-value
technological cooperation.
“Energy and the green transition are also structurally important
and increasingly in a way that combines existing infrastructure
with new, renewables-driven opportunities. Spanish engineering and
industrial contractors have delivered major projects for the
national energy sector, including refinery modernization and other
industrial upgrades. Spain’s footprint also includes participation
in major energy infrastructure linking Azerbaijan to Europe.
On the renewables side, cooperation is becoming increasingly
tangible: joint initiatives with the public electricity utility
include a 150 MW wind project (“Yeni Yashma”) and a 300 MW
photovoltaic project, supported by coverage from the Spanish export
credit agency Cesce. At the same time, other Spanish groups,
together with local partners, are advancing additional wind
projects (for example, around 70 MW) and providing technical
assistance on renewable programs, supporting the design and
implementation side of the transition,” the Secretariat stated.
The Secretariat emphasized that infrastructure remains a natural
area for cooperation, given Azerbaijan’s focus on reconstruction
and connectivity.
“Finally, agriculture and water resource management are gaining
weight, particularly through practical business engagement. A
recent Spanish agribusiness trade mission to Baku brought companies
active in areas such as irrigation, greenhouses, crop protection,
and plant nutrition in full alignment with Azerbaijan’s priorities
for the agribusiness.
Overall, the most promising cooperation lies at the intersection
of digitalization, sustainable infrastructure, and the green
transition, with agriculture and water becoming increasingly
relevant,” the statement reads.
The statement also notes that, building on cooperation already
underway, new projects are being considered, especially in areas
linked to reconstruction, sustainability, and modern
infrastructure.
“In this context, the Strategic Economic Dialogue is a practical
tool to make future projects easier to deliver. It helps both sides
achieve early and swift alignment on priorities and on the enablers
that determine whether projects move fast from ideation to
execution, clear scoping, realistic sequencing, permitting, and,
where relevant, grid connection arrangements.
It also provides a structured channel to discuss financing and
risk mitigation architecture and to address implementation
obstacles early, in a cooperative way.
Overall, the Dialogue supports an agenda that can grow
organically, as enabling conditions mature and new mutually
beneficial opportunities take shape,” the State Secretariat
reports.
The Secretariat noted that Spain sees clear potential to deepen
cooperation in solar and wind energy, where Azerbaijan’s ambitions
align well with Spain’s proven technological leadership across the
full project cycle, from design and engineering to grid integration
and operation.
“Hydrogen is approached in a targeted and forward-looking way.
Spain has accumulated significant experience along the hydrogen
value chain and follows with interest Azerbaijan’s steps towards
hydrogen-ready infrastructure, including initiatives aimed at
strengthening future interconnections with European markets,” the
Secretariat reports.
The statement emphasized that this creates scope to explore
cooperation on hydrogen selectively, as renewable capacity expands
and the necessary infrastructure and regulatory frameworks
mature.
“There is a possibility for Spanish infrastructure and
engineering companies to participate in projects related to the
development of transport hubs and logistics centers in Azerbaijan.
Spain sees significant opportunities for cooperation in the
development of transport hubs and logistics infrastructure,
particularly as Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its role as a
regional connectivity platform.
This forward-looking interest builds on existing Spanish
involvement in Azerbaijan’s transport and logistics ecosystem,
including proven cooperation in areas such as air traffic
management and airport digital systems, as well as related
operational and support services.
More broadly, Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and connectivity
plans—covering roads, airports, multimodal logistics platforms, and
transport corridors—align well with Spain’s internationally
recognized capabilities in infrastructure construction, transport
engineering, digital solutions for mobility, and integrated
logistics,” the Secretariat added.
Overall, Spain views the development of transport hubs and
logistics centers in Azerbaijan as an area with outstanding
potential for collaboration, building on existing cooperation and
closely aligned with both countries’ strategic interests in
connectivity, economic diversification, and regional
integration.
“Spain recognizes the growing strategic relevance of the Middle
Corridor as a key component of Eurasian connectivity, particularly
in the current effort to diversify and reinforce trade routes
between Europe and Asia. In this framework, Azerbaijan plays a
central role, and its sustained investment in transport
infrastructure and logistics significantly enhances the corridor’s
viability.
From Spain’s perspective, the Middle Corridor contributes to
greater resilience and optionality in supply chains, complementing
existing routes and supporting a more balanced connectivity
architecture. This approach is closely aligned with European
priorities, including those promoted under the EU Global Gateway
strategy, which seeks to advance secure, sustainable, and
high-quality connectivity through investments in infrastructure,
digitalization, and logistics along strategic corridors,” the
Secretariat stated.
The statement adds that more broadly, Spain sees the corridor as
consistent with a European connectivity vision based on
partnership, investment, and standards.
“By supporting modern, efficient, and interoperable transport
routes across the South Caucasus and Central Asia, the Middle
Corridor can play a constructive role in strengthening Europe–Asia
links in a way that is economically viable, environmentally
sustainable, and geopolitically balanced,” the Secretariat
concluded.
The Middle Corridor is a transport trade route passing through
several countries in the region and connecting Asia with Europe. It
serves as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern
corridors.
The route begins in China and passes through Central Asian
countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then
crosses the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before
reaching Europe. The Middle Corridor is a land-based route that
bypasses longer maritime paths, linking eastern parts of Asia,
including China, with Europe.
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