On November 13, during the COP29 summit in Baku, the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed a significant Memorandum of Cooperation. The agreement, titled the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the International Atomic Energy Agency on Cooperation in the Field of Energy Planning in the Context of the Paris Agreement,” was formalized by Azerbaijan's Energy Minister, Parviz Shahbazov, and IAEA Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi.

Minister Shahbazov emphasized that this memorandum underscores Azerbaijan's commitment to advancing its clean energy transition and expanding its focus on "green energy" solutions. He noted that the cooperation will include exploring the potential of nuclear energy, particularly through small modular reactors (SMRs), as part of the Atoms4NetZero initiative. This collaboration is expected to provide a fresh impetus to Azerbaijan's energy sector by facilitating joint research and projects aimed at the future integration of nuclear energy. Shahbazov highlighted that the partnership with the IAEA will aid Azerbaijan’s long-term efforts to diversify its energy mix, including the potential adoption of nuclear energy.

Director General Grossi expressed that the memorandum would be crucial for Azerbaijan's strategic energy planning and capacity building. He emphasized that this partnership aligns with Azerbaijan's commitments under the Paris Agreement, aiming to ensure a sustainable and successful clean energy transition. Grossi voiced optimism about the collaborative efforts to assess nuclear energy’s role in achieving Azerbaijan’s green energy objectives.