BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. The UN Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) looks forward to cooperating with
Azerbaijan on methane capture, Deputy Executive Secretary of the
UNECE, Dmitry Mariyasin, told Trend in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of
Baku Climate Action Week.
According to him, the UNECE works closely with Azerbaijan
through the country’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, as well as with
various ministries and government agencies in Baku.
“Key areas of our cooperation include transport—particularly
connectivity issues and the Middle Corridor—as well as the
environment, specifically regarding water resources and
transboundary waters. Cooperation also extends to the energy
sector, covering energy efficiency, hydrogen, and methane emission
reductions. Methane is currently a crucial topic for the region and
the world, as well as for Azerbaijan as a major oil and gas
exporter,” he added.
Mariyasin also highlighted Azerbaijan’s leadership within the UN
Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).
“Under Azerbaijan’s leadership, the first-ever SPECA summit was
held in Baku in November 2023. This resulted in the creation of a
crucial initiative—the SPECA Multi-Partner Trust Fund. It’s already
receiving funding, including contributions from Azerbaijan, and
will foster practical outcomes for regional cooperation in Central
Asia, with Azerbaijan playing an active role,” he explained.
Addressing the digitalization of transport along the
Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (the Middle Corridor),
Mariyasin noted that a digitalization roadmap was approved by
national leaders at the 2023 Baku summit.
According to him, one of the areas outlined in the roadmap was
the full digitalization of the TIR Convention.
“The electronic TIR system now operates from Central Asia,
through Azerbaijan, and on to Europe. This is one of major
achievements. It was part of the roadmap, and the task has been
completed. The TIR system allows trucks to cross multiple customs
borders without the cargo being opened en route. The truck is
sealed at the point of departure after all necessary customs
documents have been processed, with a guarantee system in place. It
then proceeds along an expedited route and is not opened by customs
authorities until it reaches its final destination,” said
Mariyasin.
He noted that UNECE is currently working on other aspects of
digitalization, including the electronic CMR—a digital consignment
note for road transport—as well as the associated liability
regime.
“We are also working on utilizing the electronic trade standards
of the UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
(UN/CEFACT)—which is also hosted by UNECE—to support transactions
across the entire value chain. An important role is played by the
Middle Corridor Coordination Committee, which operates under the
auspices of UNECE. We are working to ensure that tariffs, digital
solutions, customs procedures, and all the rules and regulations
necessary for the operation of the corridor are harmonized,” he
said.
According to him, modeling container transportation from
Tashkent to Istanbul and back, carried out about a year and a half
ago, revealed a number of remaining problems.
“We found that there are still many bottlenecks,
inconsistencies, and issues that need to be resolved in terms of
harmonization of procedures and digital tools. The next task is to
consistently eliminate these “bottlenecks,” said Mariasin.
He pointed out the need to ensure that major
investments—including those supported by the European Union’s
Global Gateway, the Asian Development Bank, and the CAREC program,
as well as investments from China and the Gulf states—utilize UN
instruments, rules, and norms as a foundation and a common,
harmonized language for freight forwarders, customs authorities,
and digital service providers.
Mariyasin also spoke about potential projects and initiatives
involving UNECE and Azerbaijan for the coming years.
“I would like to highlight the importance of piloting UN digital
trade standards—specifically the UN/CEFACT standards—in Azerbaijan
and in its trade with neighboring countries along the Trans-Caspian
route,” he clarified.
According to him, UNECE, in cooperation with TRACECA, held a
seminar on this topic earlier this week.
He identified cooperation in the water sector as another key
area.
“We work very closely with Azerbaijan as a party to the UNECE
Water Convention, and we look forward to continued collaboration
with countries in the region on the shared use of water and lake
resources. Reducing methane emissions is another important
priority. Like any country that produces and exports oil and
gas—and like its neighbors around the Caspian Sea—Azerbaijan has
older wells. Much can be done to capture methane, convert it into
useful energy, and thereby reduce atmospheric emissions while also
improving business operational efficiency,” the official
mentioned.
Mariyasin emphasized that this initiative is part of the climate
agenda and represents a significant project that UNECE aims to
implement in partnership with Azerbaijan’s energy sector.
