Oct. 23
Czech Senate VP: Azerbaijan-EU strategic partnership agreement brings new opportunities
The strategic partnership agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union certainly contributes to a good atmosphere on both sides' cooperation, said Jiri Sestak, the vice-president of the Senate of the Czech Republic.
"This agreement strengthens goodwill and ability to perceive each other and listen to and reinforce the importance and trust of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU, which brings new opportunities for both communities," Sestak, who is on visit to Baku, told Trend.
The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.
The first meeting on a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan was held in Brussels on Feb. 7, 2017.
As for the current level of parliamentary relations between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan, Sestak said that the existing relations of both parliaments are at good level.
Among sectors important for encouraging the bilateral economic interaction, the Czech senator named the agriculture sector, both in the field of agriculture products and machinery, fertilizers, chemistry, and also in engineering and metallurgy.
The Czech entrepreneurs play active role in Azerbaijan’s economy investing $1.3 billion so far. The Czech companies as contractors are involved in various projects in Azerbaijan, worth a total of $16 billion.
Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic amounted to $201.011 million in January-June 2017.
The Czech Republic ranks 12th in the list of main importers of Azerbaijani goods.
WB signs new deal as part of Third Highway Project in Azerbaijan
Italy’s IRD Engineering will oversee the expansion of the next section of Baku-Shamakhi-Muganli highway, the World Bank’s Baku office told Trend.
This is the section located on 91-107 km of the main road, said the WB office adding that the contract’s cost is $2.86 million.
This is not the first contract for IRD Engineering in Azerbaijan. The company has already overseen the expansion of other sections of the highway.
The expansion of the Baku-Shamakhi-Muganli highway from two to four lanes is carried out as part of the Third Highway Project implemented by the World Bank in Azerbaijan. The bank signed another contract worth $1.2 million as part of this project in September 2017.
In general, the WB has signed contracts worth $7.4 million since early 2016 as part of the Third Highway Project.
The Third Highway Project was approved in 2010. The project’s cost is $356.15 million, $241.6 million out of which account for WB funds.
In March 2016, the bank allocated additional funds in the amount of $140 million for the project, and additional $15.5 million was allocated by the Azerbaijani government.
Oct. 24
Azerbaijan needs to train scientists in different spheres - minister
Currently, the majority of doctoral candidates receive education in Azerbaijan in the humanitarian, social and economic spheres, but the priorities of the national economy require special attention to the training of scientists in the technological, technical and agricultural spheres, the country’s Education Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said.
He made the remarks at the 21st Republican scientific conference of doctoral candidates and young researchers.
He said that the program of studying abroad played a special role in the training of scientific personnel in Azerbaijan.
“Of 3,558 scholarships allocated within the State Program for the Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad in 2015-2017, 63 percent were directed to those studying to receive master’s and doctoral degrees,” Jabbarov said. “This means that these young people will contribute to the development of science and education in Azerbaijan.”
The minister added that state funds within the second state program should be allocated for those studying to receive master’s and doctoral degrees not in foreign countries, but in local universities that have the appropriate scientific potential and human resources.
Oct. 25
All Azerbaijani state youth programs successfully implemented: deputy minister
The state programs regarding Azerbaijani youth adopted to date have been successfully implemented, said Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Intigam Babayev.
He made the remarks at an event dedicated to the implementation of the state program "Azerbaijani Youth in 2017-2021."
Babayev noted that many documents on youth policy, including three state programs, have been adopted so far.
He said that a Coordination Council was established with the participation of relevant organizations to ensure transparency of the state programs.
“The first meeting of the Council will be held soon. In addition, a website of the [Azerbaijani Youth in 2017-2021] state program will be launched,” he added.
Azerbaijan joining Turkish postal operator’s e-commerce project
Azerbaijan’s postal operator Azerpost LLC is joining the electronic trading platform of the Turkish postal operator www.ePttAVM.com , a source in the Azerbaijani postal communication market told Trend.
According to the source, Azerpost’s efforts are currently aimed at solving technical issues related to the payments. The work is planned to be completed in that sphere by late 2017.
The Turkish postal operator expects Azerpost to join the platform, which will enable to accept e-payments along with rendering mail delivery services, the source said earlier.
Oct. 26
BTK railway opening is a historic event: Kazakh envoy
Opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway is a historic and grandiose event, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Beybit Isabaev told a briefing in Baku. “BTK is a large-scale project, which will give an additional powerful impetus to the development of transit and transport cooperation not only of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, but all countries connecting Asia and Europe on the Silk Road route,” he noted.
The envoy also said that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to attend the BTK railway’s opening ceremony.
The BTK railway has been constructed on the basis a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. The railway’s peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At an initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.
EIB allocates $8B to projects in Eastern Partnership countries
The European Investment Bank supports infrastructure and environmental projects in Eastern Partnership countries from Lviv to Baku, said Vazil Hudak, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
He made the remarks during the 4th Eastern Partnership Business Forum Digital Economy: Innovative Platform for Transparent Borderless Business that kicked off in Tallinn.
He noted that up to now, the EIB has allocated $8 billion to projects in Eastern Partnership countries.
It is a big figure, he said, adding that EIB also focuses on the development of digital economy.
Hudak further noted that it is important that young people in Eastern Partnership countries wouldn't move to attractive countries in terms of business development and stay in their countries.
The 4th Eastern Partnership Business Forum is a traditional side event to the EU Eastern Partnership Summit. The main objective of the forum is to promote cross-border economic relations, transparency, new business opportunities and cooperation between EU and Eastern Partnership countries, with particular focus on SMEs.
Association of Women Entrepreneurs established in Azerbaijan
The Association of Women Entrepreneurs has been established in Azerbaijan.
The association’s creation was announced in Baku as part of an event dedicated to the development of women’s entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the event, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Economy Sahib Mammadov noted that the creation of the association will strengthen the role of women in entrepreneurship.
“The Ministry of Economy will provide all the necessary support for organizing activities of the association,” he noted.
Then, members of the association’s board and inspection commission were elected. Chairperson of the Baku Textile Factory LLC Sakina Babayeva was elected chairperson of the board.
Oct. 27
Azerbaijan, Sudan mull co-op in tourism and air transport fields
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has received Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Sudan Tariq Hamza Zain El Abdein, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message.
Mammadyarov congratulated Zain El Abdein on the beginning of his activity as an honorary consul.
The sides exchanged views on expanding bilateral economic ties, as well as on cooperation issues between Azerbaijan and Sudan in tourism, air transport and other spheres.
Zain El Abdein said that Sudan is greatly interested in the experience of the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovation under the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN).
During the meeting, the sides stressed that fruitful cooperation within international organizations, in particular the UN and OIC, is an impetus for the development of relations between the two countries.
Sudan’s support for the adoption of resolutions of international organizations in support of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and condemning the military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan has been appreciated during the meeting.
The honorary consul said that over the period of his activity he will make efforts to develop bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan-Iran projects executed successfully
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, new co-chairman of the Azerbaijan-Iran Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Masoud Karbasian.
President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Masoud Karbasian on his appointment as Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Touching upon the work of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission, the head of state said he was confident that the Commission will continue to work successfully and effectively in the future. Noting that Azerbaijan-Iran bilateral relations are developing rapidly and successfully, the head of state stressed the importance of the meetings between the presidents in expanding these ties.
Saying that economic cooperation between the two countries yielded good results, President Ilham Aliyev noted that trade between the two countries increased by 70 percent last year and by 30 percent this year. The head of state emphasized that the two countries have implemented all agreements. Underlining successful execution of joint transnational projects, the head of state expressed his confidence that the two countries will maintain mutually fruitful cooperation in this regard.
Masoud Karbasian said he is pleased to pay his first visit to Azerbaijan as Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the new co-chairman of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission. He expressed his hope that he will justify confidence put in him and cope with responsibility in this position and contribute to the development of relations between the two countries.
“We are deeply impressed by the successful development achieved in Azerbaijan under your leadership. I congratulate you on these wonderful achievements,” Karbasian said.
The sides exchanged views over prospects for cooperation in economy, trade, transport, North-South international transport corridor, health, agriculture, banking and finance.
Mehriban Aliyeva: Each project we carry out aims to protect interests of citizens, help those in need
The First Conference of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's Regional Development Public Union was held in Sabirabad.
Assistant to First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov, Chairman of the Youth and Sports Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, MP Fuad Muradov, volunteers of the Public Union, representatives of different regions, as well as international organizations attended the event.
Firstly, the congratulatory letter of First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva to the conference participants was read out.
The letter states that today Azerbaijan is a powerful state, carrying out an independent policy and gaining a serious position on international arena.
In turn, Assistant to the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov said the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, based on the ideals of humanism, has defined serving to Azerbaijani people as its main goal.
Alakbarov noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation always focuses on the implementation of projects and programs meant for the people in need of care more than others, such as children deprived of parental care, families of martyrs, refugees and internally displaced persons, elderly persons and children suffering from various diseases.
Alakbarov said the main purpose of the establishment of the Regional Development Public Union is to address the problems faced by citizens living in Azerbaijan’s districts, as well as to address issues that are of concern to the local population.
Oct. 28
Nakhchivan goods to enter Turkey's markets without import duties
Nakhchivan goods will be imported into Turkey without import duties, Azerbaijan's Economy Ministry said.
According to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkey, 43 product names (13 agricultural products, 30 manufactured goods) produced in Nakhchivan will be imported into Turkey without import duties and on preferential terms.
This was noted during the Turkish-Azerbaijani business forum held on Sunday in Igdir, Turkey. According to the decision of the Turkish government, annually goods produced in Nakhchivan worth $ 100 million will be imported to Turkey without paying import duties.
"This decision will bring a significant contribution to the development of the region and trade relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey," the Ministry of Economy said.