BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 27. Projects aimed at exporting green energy from Azerbaijan to Türkiye are currently being evaluated, while broader efforts continue to expand trade, investment, and technological cooperation between the two countries, Tamerlan Taghiyev, Azerbaijan’s Trade Representative in Türkiye, said in an interview with Trend.
Taghiyev noted that opening Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Türkiye could also be considered if there is sufficient interest, noting that Turkish businesspeople themselves must take the initiative in this direction.
Recalling that the Trade Representation of Azerbaijan in Türkiye has been operating since 2023, Taghiyev stressed that one of the main priorities is to attract Turkish entrepreneurs and investors to Azerbaijan.
“Our primary task is to encourage Turkish businesspeople and investors to come to Azerbaijan, establish businesses, and invest here. The second key area is ensuring the use of appropriate services to promote and sell Azerbaijani goods and services in Türkiye. Another important issue is facilitating technological transfer between the two countries and building cooperation in this field. Of course, whenever possible, we also work toward joint activities by companies or entrepreneurs from both countries in third markets,” he said.
According to Taghiyev, more than 30 visits by Turkish business delegations to Azerbaijan have been organized so far.
“Within these missions, more than 200 businesspeople have visited Azerbaijan. Some of them have already started operations in the country in various sectors, while others are working on their business plans, either with local partners or independently. We believe they will begin operations in the near future. For example, a Turkish company that came to Azerbaijan through our facilitation recently established a Turkish-invested company here and plans to provide innovative services,” he noted.
At the same time, the Trade Representation actively visits different regions of Türkiye. To date, delegations have traveled to more than 20 regions, holding meetings with businesspeople in cooperation with local chambers of commerce and industry. During these meetings, Azerbaijani investment opportunities, state incentive mechanisms, and other advantages are presented. Particular emphasis is placed on the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions, where Turkish entrepreneurs are informed about the conditions created and incentives offered in these areas.
Taghiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan not only offers incentives but also provides concrete financial and partnership mechanisms.
“Relevant institutions operating in Azerbaijan, such as the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund (ABDF), offer both concessional loans and partnership mechanisms. This always attracts the attention of Turkish businesspeople, and there are already those who are benefiting or considering benefiting from these opportunities. Currently, every Turkish company that comes to Azerbaijan through us holds meetings with the ABDF,” he said.
The Trade Representative also highlighted that Turkish entrepreneurs are being informed about incentives and mechanisms available in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
“We explain that Azerbaijan has free trade agreements with ten countries, providing access to a large market with a population of 280 million. At the same time, Azerbaijan has Preferential Trade Agreements with both Türkiye and Pakistan. Under these agreements, entrepreneurs can access those markets for products specified in the agreements. In other words, entrepreneurs who manufacture products in Azerbaijan can export their goods and services to these large markets without customs duties or taxes,” Taghiyev explained.
He did not rule out the possibility of expanding the scope of the Preferential Trade Agreement between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
“The scope of the Preferential Trade Agreement can be expanded, and new products can be added. The list of products in the document was compiled based on the priorities of each country and can be reviewed and broadened. I would also like to note that negotiations are underway between Türkiye and Azerbaijan on a Free Trade Agreement, and we hope this agreement will be concluded,” he added.
Taghiyev also spoke about cooperation in renewable energy and energy exports between the two countries.
“During COP29, significant achievements were made in the field of green energy, and Turkish businesspeople highly appreciated Azerbaijan’s role in this event. It is also known that COP31 will be held in Türkiye, where important discussions on the transition to green energy will take place. There are many companies in Türkiye operating in this area. Several companies have approached us with proposals to produce renewable energy in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and export it to Türkiye and other markets. These projects are currently under evaluation. There are also companies interested in implementing similar projects in the Karabakh region,” he said.
A target has been set to increase mutual trade between Azerbaijan and Türkiye to $15 billion. Taghiyev emphasized that the Trade Representation of Azerbaijan in Türkiye is actively fulfilling its responsibilities toward achieving this goal.
Assessing the Turkish market as highly developed and competitive, Taghiyev noted that certain Azerbaijani products could successfully compete there, especially those included in the Preferential Trade Agreement.
“Because these products can enter the Turkish market duty-free, they have strong competitive potential. That is why we mainly invite entrepreneurs whose products are included in the agreement to Azerbaijan. At the same time, we have organized buyer missions from Türkiye. These visitors are Turkish businesspeople who supply goods to large retail chains in their country or are interested in opening Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Türkiye. If there is sufficient interest, opening Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Türkiye is possible, but Turkish entrepreneurs must take the initiative. We are doing everything we can to stimulate this interest,” he said.
Taghiyev also commented on the expected impact of the Zangezur corridor on bilateral trade relations.
“Once the Zangezur corridor is opened and becomes operational, the distance between Azerbaijan and Türkiye will be significantly reduced. This is extremely important because logistics play a major role in trade. Time, convenience, and cost are all critical factors. Logistics costs directly affect product prices and competitiveness. After the corridor opens, there will be much greater momentum in trade. We are already informing Turkish businesspeople about this and encouraging them to take advantage of these opportunities now. We also point out that the Aghdam Industrial Park, which started operating just a few years ago, is already 70% occupied. This shows that opportunities should be seized without delay,” he said.
Speaking about goals for the coming year, Taghiyev noted that the Trade Representation is evaluating its activities and identifying priority areas.
“Türkiye’s regions are highly diverse in terms of both production and trade. Next year, we aim to visit additional regions of Türkiye and promote the opportunities Azerbaijan offers. Organizing visits of Turkish businesspeople to Azerbaijan remains our main responsibility. We plan to further expand cooperation with chambers of industry and commerce in Türkiye and to meet more frequently with companies that have export potential, as we do now. At the same time, expanding cooperation in technological solutions and implementing other supportive measures are also planned,” he concluded.
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