BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. Azerbaijan offers investors broad opportunities to implement export-oriented projects in the Alat Free Economic Zone, which operates under a special legal regime and provides tax and customs incentives, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He made the remarks at the Azerbaijan-Slovakia Business Forum in Baku.
"I would particularly like to highlight the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ), which is the flagship of Azerbaijan's industrial zone policy. The zone is designed primarily for export-oriented manufacturing and access to regional and international markets. AFEZ is located approximately 50–55 kilometers from Baku. By the middle of next year, a modern international airport within the zone is expected to become operational. Together with its transport infrastructure, the zone will serve as a key logistics hub linking Central Asia, China, the Black Sea region, Türkiye, Europe, and vice versa," he said.
The minister recalled that the status of the Alat Free Economic Zone is enshrined in Azerbaijan’s constitutional law.
He noted that, with the exception of criminal legislation, investors may choose the legal jurisdiction they prefer, creating additional advantages for doing business.
Jabbarov emphasized that companies targeting not only the Azerbaijani market but also the broader region can leverage the potential of the Alat Free Economic Zone as a natural transport hub along the Middle Corridor, connecting East and West.
According to him, the Azerbaijani government also provides investors with financial incentives. In particular, companies operating in the Alat Free Economic Zone benefit from a zero tax rate and exemption from customs duties. Similar incentives are available in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories and in Nakhchivan.
