BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. The Azerbaijan-Slovakia Business Forum took place in Baku, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
The forum was attended by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov and Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Denisa Saková.
The forum aims to promote the expansion of trade cooperation, establish new partnerships, and support Slovak companies in the Azerbaijani market.
During the forum, investment and export opportunities in Azerbaijan and Slovakia were presented, and prospects for expanding trade and economic cooperation were discussed. The forum featured presentations by representatives of AZPROMO, the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), and the Slovak Export-Credit Agency (Eximbanka SR), as well as bilateral meetings between business representatives.
Addressing the event, Yusif Abdullayev, Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), noted that Azerbaijan continues to expand its international investment cooperation, attracting billions in investments into the non-oil sector of the economy.
“In September 2025, the Ministry of Economy and AZPROMO, in collaboration with The European House – Ambrosetti, held the first Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku. The event brought together about 1,000 participants and concluded with the signing of investment agreements totaling over $10 billion, including more than $7 billion for projects in the non-oil sector,” he said.
Abdullayev noted that the second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum will take place on September 25–26 of this year, expressing his readiness to welcome Slovak partners to the event.
In addition, he emphasized that AZPROMO provides investors with single-window support, helping them familiarize themselves with the Azerbaijani market, identify priority sectors, available incentive mechanisms, suitable sites, industrial zones, and promising investment projects. According to him, the Invest in Azerbaijan platform will also contribute to the development of investment activity by providing digital access to information, application submission, and investment support tools.
Daniel Ondruš, Head of the Foreign Trade Department at the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), in turn, emphasized that Slovak companies are showing growing interest in the Azerbaijani market, and economic ties between Azerbaijan and Slovakia continue to strengthen.
“This is already the fourth business mission to Azerbaijan organized by SARIO over the past three years. We view this as evidence of Slovak companies’ growing interest in Azerbaijan and the steadily strengthening economic ties between our countries,” he said.
Ondruš noted that the Slovak delegation included representatives from companies operating in the fields of agriculture and the food industry, mechanical engineering, the defense industry, water management, infrastructure, energy, mining, and information and communication technologies.
According to him, the companies arrived in Baku with a genuine interest in exploring the Azerbaijani market, exchanging experiences, and establishing long-term business partnerships.
He emphasized that the main outcome of the forum would be the partnerships formed as a result of the meetings, as well as subsequent joint projects and business ties that will continue to develop after the event concludes.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, stated in his speech that Azerbaijan offers investors extensive opportunities to implement export-oriented projects in the Alat Free Economic Zone, where a special legal regime is in effect, and tax and customs incentives are provided.
“I would like to make special mention of the Alat Free Economic Zone, which is a true gem of our approach to developing industrial zones and is focused primarily on exports and access to regional markets. Alat is a section of the Port of Baku located approximately 50–55 kilometers from the city. By the middle of next year, a modern international airport will also begin operations here. The zone is integrated with the railway infrastructure and facilitates the movement of cargo from Central Asia and China toward the Black Sea, Türkiye, and Europe, as well as in the opposite direction,” he said.
The minister noted that the status of the Alyat Free Economic Zone is enshrined in Azerbaijan’s constitutional law.
He pointed out that, except for criminal law, investors can choose their own legal jurisdiction, which creates additional conveniences for doing business.
The minister emphasized that companies focused not only on the Azerbaijani market but also on the broader region can leverage the potential of the Alat SEZ as a natural transportation hub along the Middle Corridor, connecting East and West.
According to him, the Azerbaijani government also provides financial incentives to investors. In particular, the Alat SEZ has a zero tax rate and no customs duties. Similar benefits apply in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, as well as in Nakhchivan.
Denisa Saková, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Slovakia, noted that Azerbaijan is an important partner for Slovakia and a key link between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia.
“In the context of a changing geopolitical situation, resilient supply chains, efficient transport corridors, and a reliable energy supply have become strategic priorities. Azerbaijan is playing an increasingly important role not only as a reliable energy partner but also as a major logistics hub connecting regions and markets,” she said.
According to Sakova, the energy sector remains one of the key areas of economic cooperation between the two countries.
She noted that diversifying natural gas supply sources and transportation routes is of great importance for both Slovakia and Europe, highlighting Azerbaijan’s contribution to strengthening the region’s energy security.
The minister also stated that cooperation between the two countries extends far beyond the energy sector. She said that Slovak companies are already participating in Azerbaijan’s modernization efforts and highly value the opportunity to contribute to the reconstruction of Karabakh.
Sakova noted that the “Smart Village” project in the village of Bash Garvend in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam District is a striking example of how Slovak technology and expertise enable the implementation of practical solutions that improve people’s quality of life.
According to her, there is also significant potential for further cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, digitalization, industrial production, water resource management, and cutting-edge technologies.
The minister expressed confidence that the business forum would create new opportunities for investment and long-term cooperation between companies in Azerbaijan and Slovakia.
Also, as part of the forum, a memorandum of cooperation in the field of tourism was signed between Azerbaijan and Slovakia.
The memorandum of cooperation was signed by Teymur Suleymanzade, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau, and Martina Horinova, Deputy Director General of Slovakia Travel.
