From Yury Sentyurin, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum

His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

You Excellency,

It is indeed an honour of mine to extend warm felicitations on the occasion of Your Excellency's birthday.

A day like this provides a perfect opportunity to reflect on life’s journey, and appreciate the strides made with an eye to the future that it may be even greater than today. Your Excellency’s able and prudent leadership has substantially contributed to the Republic of Azerbaijan‘s development and progress, while deeds of yours have rightfully earned you well-deserved respect amongst citizens and abroad.

The year 2020 brought many challenges to the world, magnified in no smaller manner due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding the crises, important strides made in restoration of territorial integrity and advancement of key hydrocarbon infrastructure development, including the successful implementation of the state-of-art Southern Gas Corridor project, enhanced the Republic's recognition as a prominent international stakeholder and a sustainable energy supplier.

Following the tremendous opportunity back in 2018 when you graciously lent me a personal audience, it has been with great excitement that we have welcomed Azerbaijan’s official alignment with the other Member Countries of our organization throughout this year. This holds exceptional symbolic significance for us due to the historic contribution of the country in the exploitation of the oil and gas fields. Therefore, Your Excellency, please accept my sincere gratitude for the fruitful partnership and unwavering support.

With profound respect, taking stock of the impact Azerbaijan has had on the GECF, I would like to reaffirm the intent to further deepen the collaboration with your esteemed country in the run-up to the 6th GECF Summit of Heads of State and Government, to be held in Doha in 2021. It would be an hour of mine to welcome Your Excellency in person on such a landmark occasion for the Forum and the natural gas world.

Your Excellency, once again, I congratulate you and wish you many more years of service to your compatriots and the Republic of Azerbaijan as it continues to grow from strength to strength, despite challenging times.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration and respect.

Yours sincerely,

Yury Sentyurin

Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum