BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Azerbaijan is making significant progress toward its non-oil export targets, said Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), Trend reports.
Speaking at a press conference reviewing 2025 results, Gasimli noted that the country’s socio-economic development strategy for 2022–2026 aims to increase non-oil exports by 1.2 times compared to 2021. "If we achieve a 10–15% growth in non-oil exports this year, we will reach our goal by 2026," he said.
Gasimli emphasized the strategic shift towards higher-value-added products within Azerbaijan’s non-oil export structure, particularly the prioritization of finished goods over raw materials and semi-finished products. He pointed out that the petrochemical and metallurgical sectors are leading this transformation.
The CAERC official further noted that Azerbaijan’s export strategy is not confined to goods alone, but also includes the expanding potential of service exports.
In particular, he highlighted the growing prominence of transport services, which have become one of the most significant sectors in the country's export portfolio in recent years.
''Under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership, Azerbaijan has evolved into a regional transport hub, with services flourishing at the confluence of the East-West and North-South trade corridors. Today, the export of transport services has grown to match the scale of Azerbaijan’s commodity exports.
Tourism also represents a major service export opportunity. While there were some declines last year, the sector’s long-term prospects remain strong. I believe that by 2026, Azerbaijan can achieve even greater success in tourism services.
In addition, sectors such as finance, banking, insurance, and other professional services hold immense untapped potential, which we are determined to harness," Gasimli added.
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