Turkish and Azerbaijani presidents on Monday launched the construction of a historic Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline in a high-profile groundbreaking ceremony in Azerbaijan, Azernews reported on Sept. 25, 2023.

According to the report, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was on an official visit to Azerbaijan, graced the ceremony with their distinguished presence.

During the ceremony, both heads of state participated in laying the foundation stone for the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline, a symbol of the strong bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, which has only improved over the years.

The Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline project was initiated following the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in Ankara on December 15, 2020, marking a key milestone in their energy cooperation.

The ambitious pipeline will stretch over 97.5 kilometers, connecting Igdir in Azerbaijan to the Sadarak district in Nakhchivan. The Azerbaijani section of the pipeline covers a distance of 17.5 kilometers, while the Turkish segment extends over 80 kilometers. 

Once operational, the pipeline will have an impressive transmission capacity of 2 million cubic meters of gas per day, totaling 730 million cubic meters annually, meeting the gas demand of the Nakhchivan region, with the pipeline designed with scalability in mind.

Notably, the pipeline’s throughput capacity can be more than doubled in the future, ensuring the region's energy needs are well catered to as demand grows.

The construction of this vital energy infrastructure heralds a new era of energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, strengthening their bonds and ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply for the people of Nakhchivan. 

As construction commences, the world watches with anticipation for the successful completion of this crucial project, set to reshape regional energy dynamics.