BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. The Eurasian Franchise Forum was held in Baku (Azerbaijan), bringing together the region's leading representatives, including officials, entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives of the franchise industry from all corners of the region, Trend reports.
The official opening of the event featured speeches from notable figures, including Jamid Movsumov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Franchise Association; Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA); Alibala Maharramzadeh, Doctor of Economics and Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament; Yusif Abdullayev, Executive Director of AZPROMO; Aizhan Bizhanova, First Deputy Minister of Trade of Kazakhstan; Ainur Amirbekova, Executive Director of QazTrade; and Halit Kanak, President of the Turkic World Federation, among others.
Addressing the event, Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Trade Aizhan Bijanova noted that mutual trade between the two countries amounted to approximately $350 million in the first eight months of this year:
“The heads of state have set an ambitious goal of bringing mutual trade to $1 billion. I am confident that we can achieve these goals. There is great potential for development under a single brand of Turkic-speaking states within the framework of a franchise partnership.”
In June last year, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, put forward an initiative to create a Pan-Turkic patent organization. This initiative was supported by brotherly countries. Currently, organizational work is underway to agree on the concepts of the relevant documents. Once the organization's work is complete, it would be symbolic to develop and register a single Pan-Turkic brand as the first strategic project. This will be a powerful stimulus for promoting the economic and cultural potential of Turkic-speaking countries at the international level and will open up access to the markets of China, Europe, India, and Africa. But this is only the beginning, the first step.
The Deputy Minister stressed that it is extremely important to ensure stable trade and logistics links:
"In this regard, the Trans-Caspian International Route has great potential. Today, it has become the main artery of Eurasian trade. Over the past five years, we have increased trade turnover along this route by approximately six times. Last year, trade turnover along the route amounted to US$4.5 million. This year, a further increase in volume is planned, and by the end of the year, it is expected to reach US$5 million.
In her speech, QazTrade Executive Director Ainur Amirbekova noted that over the past three days, during negotiations with key partners, the first brands of Azerbaijani products for entry into the Kazakh market were developed.
According to her, the business mission organized two weeks ago in Astana was productive:
"Thanks to the B2B meetings, B2G consultations, and the Business Council Forum, work on trade agreements has already begun. Now our goal is to build a long-term trade roadmap and systematically develop partnerships. We are also ready to organize mutual trade missions and exhibitions—for Azerbaijani products in Kazakhstan and for Kazakh products in Azerbaijan."
In his speech, Halit Kanak, Chairman of the Association for Solidarity and Assistance to the Turkic World, noted that trade volume began to grow after the establishment of the Organization of Turkic States and reached US$53 billion in 2024. This is significant growth, but it is not enough.
He emphasized that ten years ago, trade between Turkic states amounted to about $10 billion:
"We, as independent Turkic states, believe that our internal trade, covering 180 million inhabitants, as well as our compatriots living in regions such as Russia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the Balkans, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, should amount to at least $400 billion. We believe that it is possible to achieve these goals.
The panels addressed the future growth of the franchise sector, digital transformation, e-commerce, and the effects of artificial intelligence and technology on business models.
The forum wrapped up with B2B meetings, some parting words, and the handing out of certificates to participants.
The Eurasian Franchise Forum is recognized as a pivotal nexus for enhancing synergies within the franchise ecosystem, catalyzing innovative alliances, and fortifying economic interconnections among nations in the region.
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