BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 10. Dialogue with transnational companies strengthens Azerbaijan as a reliable partner on the global economic platform, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
Speaking about a meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on February 9, led by Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President, International Member Relations, and Senior Vice President, Middle East and Türkiye, Garayev stated that in today's world, nations no longer hold a pivotal position in influencing global economic and political dynamics.
According to him, in recent decades, big players on the global stage have amassed such clout that their choices ripple through the economic plans, social priorities, and even the geopolitical scales of individual nations.
The analyst emphasized that the corporations managed by the company executives participating in the meeting are not only producers of products and services but also actors that determine global trends, create new rules, and become alternative power centers for states.
"The annual turnover of these large transnational companies exceeds the gross domestic product of medium and small states. Their investment decisions can revitalize markets, increase employment, and pave the way for technological breakthroughs, but also deepen economic dependence between countries. In such a reality, the interest of large international business structures in any country is not an ordinary economic event but is evaluated as an indicator of the place that that state holds in the global system, its political stability, and its future prospects," he explained.
Garayev said that it is not by chance that companies known worldwide and leading global markets show interest in Azerbaijan. The visit of representatives of such giant corporations as Apple, Meta, Visa, Mastercard, BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Boeing, Honeywell, Ericsson, J.P. Morgan, Marriott, and other leading corporations in the fields of technology, energy, finance, industry, transport, logistics, and services to Baku is considered an indicator of our country's growing economic prestige and image as a reliable partner. For these companies, market selection is measured not only by economic profitability, but also by political stability, legal environment, long-term forecasting, and strategic location, and Azerbaijan has already strengthened its position on the global business map according to these criteria.
The analyst noted that the meeting and extensive discussions held by President Ilham Aliyev with the leaders of those companies serve as confirmation of this reality.
"The vision of the head of state, which extends from energy security to digital transformation, from artificial intelligence to transport and logistics corridors, clearly reveals the economic trajectory that Azerbaijan has chosen in the near and medium term. This meeting is not only a discussion of existing cooperation but is also considered a strategic step towards moving the country to new economic horizons for the coming years.
Direct dialogue with the main players of global business and coordination of their plans and interests at the state level should be considered another successful step aimed at the global development of the Azerbaijani economy. This approach is of great importance both in terms of expanding investment flows and further strengthening the country's role in regional and global economic processes," he mentioned.
According to the analyst, such meetings, along with the ramping up of similar interactions down the line, are seen as a piece of the broader atmosphere of trust that Azerbaijan has cultivated on the global stage.
"Discussions held on global economic platforms, positions voiced in international forums, and the consistently demonstrated political and economic line create the basis for the country to be perceived as a predictable and responsible partner in decision-making processes. The pragmatic position and institutional continuity demonstrated by President Ilham Aliyev in international dialogues play an important role in the formation of this approach.
Azerbaijan's active participation in global economic dialogues and a balanced attitude to regional processes allow presenting the country's potential opportunities in a broader context. Within the framework of the policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the country acts as an initiative and constructive party in international economic discussions. High-level business contacts taking place against such a background are not limited only to current cooperation issues but also serve as a platform for assessing long-term economic prospects and demonstrate the strengthening of Azerbaijan's position in the system of global economic relations," he said.
Garayev pointed out that the above company leaders view Azerbaijan as an attractive partner for stable, predictable, and long-term cooperation.
"They expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the energy, technology, finance, transport, and services sectors, noting the favorable investment climate, institutional approach, and developing economic agenda in the country. This approach demonstrates that Azerbaijan is perceived as a reliable platform in global business circles.
The ideas voiced by President Ilham Aliyev at the meeting clearly revealed the main contours of Azerbaijan's economic development model and its vision for the upcoming stage. The head of state emphasized the country's role as a reliable partner in energy security, the existing and planned energy potential, as well as the potential of these opportunities to serve the development of new areas such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and data centers. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted that Azerbaijan has become a favorable platform for global projects due to its geographical location, developed transport and communication infrastructure, and long-term and stable investment environment," he delineated.
The analyst pointed out that high-level connections with global companies show that Azerbaijan is not content to rest on its laurels with an economy reliant solely on current resources. Instead, it has its eyes on the horizon, anticipating future global trends and boldly moving ahead in a direction ripe for new forms of collaboration.
Garayev also noted that the meeting on February 9, during which President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Betsy Berns Korn, Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations of the U.S., once again highlights Azerbaijan's growing strategic role in the region. The fact that parallel and balanced relations with major international actors such as the U.S. and Israel are the subject of discussion shows that the country is perceived as an important partner not only in the regional but also in the broader security and cooperation architecture.
"The ideas voiced during the meeting, especially the promotion of peace in Azerbaijani-Armenian relations, the role of the U.S. in this process, and the introduction of new regional connectivity projects, demonstrate the sustainability and effectiveness of Azerbaijan's foreign policy line, which is based on dialogue and cooperation.
The messages voiced during both meetings promise the country broad development opportunities in the international political and economic sphere in the coming years. The current achievements demonstrate the existence of the political will for the global realization of the potential discussed during the meetings," the analyst added.
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