On April 22, a Cooperation Agreement concerning potential water projects was signed between the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency (ADSEA) and bp.
Under this agreement, initiatives will be undertaken to enhance the provision of drinking and irrigation water to rural communities in the Goychay, Tovuz, Kurdamir, Ujar, Aghdash, Yevlakh, Goranboy, and Samukh regions.
The document was signed by Asad Shirinov, advisor to the chairman of the State Water Resources Agency, and Bakhtiyar Aslanbeyli, Vice President for Communications and External Relations in the Caspian region of bp.
During the signing ceremony, Asad Shirinov emphasized Azerbaijan's international recognition as a reliable partner in combating the impacts of climate change. He highlighted initiatives such as declaring liberated areas and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as green energy zones, alongside President Ilham Aliyev's designation of 2024 as the "Year of Solidarity for the Green World" and Azerbaijan's hosting of COP 29, illustrating the country's commitment to environmental protection and climate change mitigation at local, regional, and global scales.
Bakhtiyar Aslanbeyli, Vice President of bp, expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency to address freshwater scarcity in rural communities, stating, "We are pleased to join efforts with the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency to alleviate freshwater scarcity in rural communities: we will channel our resources to the affected areas."
Three projects are planned under this cooperation. The first project involves establishing new water supply systems in the Goychay district. These systems will facilitate rainwater collection, sedimentation, and purification for agricultural irrigation, with an estimated water purification capacity exceeding 500,000 cubic meters per year, enabling irrigation of up to 100 hectares of land.
The second project focuses on restoring two dams in the Tovuz district, which will increase reservoir productivity to 2.5 million cubic meters per year. This will provide drinking and domestic water for approximately 15,000 residents and support irrigation needs.
The third project aims to establish 25 water systems for drinking, irrigation, and sanitation in the Kurdemir, Ujar, Aghdash, Yevlakh, Goranboy, and Samukh regions, benefiting around 25,000 residents in 20 villages.
The total budget for these projects, to be completed within two years, exceeds $2.6 million USD.
