Dec. 4
Ambassador: Azerbaijan, UAE have strong partnership relations
Azerbaijan and the UAE have strong partnership relations, UAE ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammed Ahmed Hamel Al Qubaisi said.
Al Qubaisi made the remarks at an event in Baku dedicated to the 46th anniversary of the establishment of the United Arab Emirates.
"I would like to emphasize the friendly relations between the UAE and Azerbaijan,” the diplomat said. “Cooperation and mutual respect are based on these relations.”
"This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries," he said.
The ambassador added that the growing volumes of exchange between the UAE and Azerbaijan in such spheres as economy, tourism and culture, testify to the strong bilateral relations.
“The number of tourists from the UAE to Azerbaijan reached 100,000 people in January-October 2017,” he added.
"The UAE embassy in Azerbaijan established the Chamber of Commerce,” the ambassador said. “This year I have held two meetings of the Chamber of Commerce with the participation of approximately 40 trade partners and companies interested in increasing the trade index between our countries."
Staff reshuffle in Azerbaijani Taxes Ministry
Staff changes were made in the Azerbaijani Taxes Ministry.
Faig Shahbazov, director general of the HR department of the Azerbaijani Taxes Ministry, was dismissed, said a message posted on the Azerbaijani Taxes Ministry's website.
Currently, Junior Tax Service Advisor Elmaddin Suleymanov serves as acting director general of the HR department.
Shahbazov has served as director of the HR department since October 2011. He has been working in the ministry since 2000. There is no information on his appointment to the new post yet.
President Ilham Aliyev receives EU delegation
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by the newly-appointed EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar.
Saying this is his first visit to Baku and that he is deeply impressed with development processes he witnessed here, Klaar stressed his interest in familiarizing himself with Azerbaijan.
The head of state said he is hopeful that Toivo Klaar will frequently visit Azerbaijan, including regions of the country.
President Aliyev wished Klaar success in his activities.
They exchanged views over the current state of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and negotiations on the dispute.
President Aliyev views work carried out in "Baku Agropark" in Zira settlement
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has viewed work carried out in "Baku Agropark" in Zira settlement, Khazar district.
Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and entrepreneur Samad Qurbanov informed the head of state about the agropark.
“Baku Agropark” Ltd costs nearly 68 million manats. It includes a greenhouse complex for growing tomato, which occupies an area of 10 hectares. The complex has an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tons. The first stage of the project, which included construction of infrastructure, cost 21.7 million manats, of which 10 million manats were provided by the Entrepreneurship Support Fund in preferential loans.
The greenhouse features the fourth generation Dutch technology of growing tomato. The complex exports its products under “Tomat.az” brand.
The project created 140 jobs. Once fully operational, the complex will create more jobs.
President Ilham Aliyev met with the staff of the complex and posed for photographs with them.
Dec. 5
Azerbaijan establishes special headquarters for budget forecasts’ execution
Azerbaijan’s Taxes Ministry has established a special headquarters for the timely and accurate execution of budget forecasts, the country’s Taxes Minister Fazil Mammadov said.
He made the remarks at a regular meeting of the ministry’s board, Azerbaijan’s Taxes Ministry said in a message.
The headquarters has been instructed to accurately and timely determine tax potential, which will be used to select tax supervision measures in order to ensure tax revenues.
Other duties of the headquarters include ensuring coordination between structural units and subdivisions of the ministry, defining daily responsibilities of the functional structures of the ministry.
If necessary, the headquarters will also present proposals on the issues of administrative, personnel, structural and disciplinary responsibilities of the ministry’s employees.
Turkey sends first train to Azerbaijan via BTK railway
Turkey has sent its first train via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway to Azerbaijan, the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) said in a message.
The train consisting of 32 containers and carrying 650 tons of cargo left the Turkish province of Mersin for Azerbaijan.
The train is expected to arrive in Baku in 96 hours.
The first freight train was sent via the new BTK railway from Kazakhstan’s Kokshetau on October 24. The train consisted of 32 containers loaded with grain.
The BTK railway was constructed on the basis a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement.
The railway’s peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo per year.
Mikayil Jabbarov appointed taxes minister of Azerbaijan
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has decreed to appoint Mikayil Jabbarov as Azerbaijan’s taxes minister.
In another decree, President Aliyev dismissed Jabbarov as the education minister of Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev dismisses Azerbaijani taxes minister Fazil Mammadov
Azerbaijan's Taxes Minister Fazil Mammadov was dismissed from his position in accordance with the decree of the country's president, Ilham Aliyev.
ICT minister: Iran, Azerbaijan capable of co-op in startups field
Iranian ICT minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi has called for expansion of cooperation with Azerbaijan in the sphere of startups.
“I believe the private sector between Iran and Azerbaijan has a chance to reach agreements in the field of startups. Iranian embassy in Baku has established a special field in this regard to facilitate such cooperation,” the minister told Trend on the sidelines of the three-day Bakutel 2017 in Azerbaijan.
On the other hand, there is an existing political will for expansion of such type of cooperation, he added.
According to the minister, the cooperation between Iranian and Azerbaijani startup companies heavily relies on market demands.
“The companies normally cooperate in a situation where there is atmosphere for developing business. There is an existing ground for cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, for instance in tourism and heath tourism sectors as well as transportation and agriculture. These fields are proper spheres for setting up startups, which can facilitate economic ties between the two nations."
Saying that several Iranian startups have attended the ongoing Bakutel exhibition in Azerbaijan, he added that Iranian and Azerbaijani counterparts are studying the avenues for cooperation in the field of digital business.
Azari-Jahromi further called on Azerbaijani companies to attend similar fairs in Iran to exhibit their products and find partners for joint cooperation.
“Considering the existing ground for cooperation in the real world and the possibility of extending that into the virtual world, it appears that the capacity between the two countries regarding the startups is capable of growing,” the minister concluded.
President Aliyev: BTK again demonstrated that initiatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey yield good results
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey Ahmet Arslan.
The successful development of Azerbaijan-Turkey bilateral relations in all areas, including in IT field was hailed at the meeting.
President Ilham Aliyev noted the importance of Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ahmet Arslan's participation in the 23rd BakuTel 2017 exhibition. He emphasized that the exhibition has been held for more than 20 years, praising the Turkish companies' participation in each edition of the event.
Pointing to the achievements in the field of transport, the head of state underlined the significance of the two countries' joint activities in communications, information technology areas, particularly within the TASIM project.
President Ilham Aliyev recalled the opening ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month, saying that this event once again demonstrated that all the initiatives of Azerbaijan and Turkey yield good results.
The head of state also hailed good opportunities for joint activities in the field of communications between the two countries.
Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey Ahmet Arslan underlined the importance of the fact that over 190 companies from more than 20 countries attend the 23rd BakuTel 2017 exhibition and congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the excellent organization of the event.
Praising the successful work being carried out in Azerbaijan in the field of information technology under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Minister Ahmet Arslan expressed his confidence that joint regional cooperation will continue developing on this front in the years to come.
The Turkish minister emphasized the fruitful cooperation between relevant bodies of the two countries.
Azerbaijani products to appear in markets of UAE , Bangladesh
The canned products of the Azerbaijani company Brightman BMC will be exported to the UAE and Bangladesh, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy reported.
Brightman BMC has reached a preliminary agreement on this issue with the networks of Al-maya and Lulu markets, as well as with Al-Ghamdi trading. The agreement was reached during the visit of the export mission of Azerbaijan to Dubai.
Within the framework of the mission, the Azerbaijani company Sunfood discussed with Al-maya and Lulu, as well as with the Al-Qudva network, the export of pomegranate juice and tea to the UAE, and the export of honey was mulled between Kerkom and Azeri.
The export mission of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs will be in Dubai until Dec.7.
The mission includes 20 Azerbaijani companies producing fruit juice, mineral water, fruit and vegetable production, dried fruits, canned foods, meat and meat products, honey, tea, milk and dairy products.
Producers of fruit and vegetable products that are part of the export mission will also participate in the largest profile exhibition WOP Dubai, which will be held on Dec.5-7.
According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the trade turnover with the UAE for 10 months of 2017 amounted to $29.28 million, which is 2.1 times less than the same period last year. The export of Azerbaijani products to the UAE increased by 58.5 percent as compared to the end of October last year.
Minister: Azerbaijan turning into regional transit center
Today Azerbaijan is turning into a regional transit center both in logistics and information exchange, Azerbaijani Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said.
Guluzade made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 23rd Azerbaijan International Telecommunications and Information Technologies Exhibition and Conference (Bakutel 2017) in Baku.
The minister said that today the work is underway to create a transit regional information highway in Azerbaijan.
"Negotiations and meetings held within the exhibition-conference will contribute to the further development of the ICT sector,” the minister said. “This event has been held for 23 years in a row. It is an important event that unites the people involved in the ICT sector."
“Bakutel exhibition-conference is the venue where leading business leaders and specialists meet,” he said. “During this event, important decisions are made regarding the further development of the ICT sector.”
“Moreover, Bakutel is the place for the presentation of the latest modern ICT solutions,” the minister said. “New start-up projects will be demonstrated at the exhibition. The exhibition is also a good platform for exchange of experience."
Azerbaijan arranging export of industrial products to Middle East market
Products of the Sumgait Technologies Park (STP) are entering the Middle East market, the STP press service told Trend. The STP strategy has undergone drastic changes, and it is aimed primarily at reducing imports and increasing the country’s export potential.
“We attach great importance to the access of our products to international markets. Our official distributors, who will be involved in export, have already started their operations in Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and the Middle East,” said the STP.
“We have already started working with Arab countries, where we plan to sell soon our factory’s products,” added the press service.
Today, the company’s export portfolio includes cable products, which are already supplied to the countries of the region.
“Currently, we are planning to obtain the relevant certificate, which will allow us to arrange the export of high-voltage cables,” said the STP.
The Sumgait Technologies Park is the biggest company implementing new infrastructure projects in the power industry of Azerbaijan.
Dec. 6
President Aliyev: Azerbaijan expanding partnership with Russia on technology issues
Azerbaijan is expanding its partnership with Russia on the issues of technologies, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev answering a question of Russia 24 TV channel at the Bakutel 2017 exhibition.
The head of state noted that new challenges to the world security, for example cyberattacks, bring about new spheres of cooperation.
"Azerbaijan is developing successfully, its role in regional and international issues is growing. Our country has a great potential. Surely, our country can face such a threat. We are open for cooperation with all our partners and there are good prospects for cooperation in this direction with Russia. We know that Russia pays much attention to cybersecurity issues, so, of course, our structures are working with their Russian counterparts," the President said.
Russia 24 TV channel in its report added that President Ilham Aliyev also met with the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of Russia Nikolai Nikiforov.
President Ilham Aliyev with spouse attend Bakutel 2017 exhibition
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva have attended Bakutel 2017, the 23rd Azerbaijan International Exhibition and Conference on Telecommunications and Information Technologies at the Baku Expo Center.
Azerbaijan`s Minister of Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade informed President Ilham Aliyev and Mehriban Aliyeva of the exhibition.
This year’s exhibition brings together 192 companies from 20 countries, including Azerbaijan, the US, the UAE, China, Finland, France, Sweden, the Kingdom of Netherlands, Turkey and others.
The leading ICT companies, Azerbaijani mobile operators, telecom operators, Internet providers, system integrators, and distributors of well-known brands are among the exhibitors. 40 percent of participants are regular exhibitors of Bakutel. The debutants of this year make up 30 percent of the total number of participants.
President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva viewed pavilions of the exhibition.
President Aliyev answered questions from Euronews and Russia-24 channels as he viewed Bakutel 2017.
Dec. 7
Every citizen of Azerbaijan to get own “electronic cabinet”
Every citizen of Azerbaijan will get their own “electronic cabinet”, acting on the principle of a “single window’, Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Center told Trend.
The center said the e-cabinet will allow to access to all the available e-services.
The new portal will become available for general use after the issuance of the new generation of identity cards.
“The electronic cabinet” will include personal information on the citizens, for example their payment transactions or utility payments. All the data will be stored in a single system.
The platform is said to host services of both government and private entities.
The source in the center said the portal will be launched in parallel with the issuance of new identity cards.
Meanwhile, the e-signature on the new IDs will be used as key to accessing various services on the portal, such as internet banking, insurance, online payments, as well as services of the e-government(e-gov.az), said the source.
“In parallel, our efforts are also aimed at recognizing e-signatures in other countries, and we are planning to create a new infrastructure, the so-called certification center, which will play the role of a bridge with the countries of the region. Today we are negotiating with Turkey and defining approaches for implementing this," said the center.
According to the source, this will allow citizens to open bank accounts in Turkey, without leaving home or office.
"At the moment we are working on mutual m recognition of e-signature also with other countries,” said the center.
AzInTelecom, Microsoft Azerbaijan ink MoU
AzInTelecom LLC, operating under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Azerbaijan, Trend was told.
In accordance with the agreement, the sides will start negotiations on future cooperation in implementation of the latest information and communication technologies through the Data Center of AzInTelecom.
To this end, it is envisaged to create a joint working group.
The document was signed by Leyla Mammadova, acting director of AzInTelecom LLC, and Sarhan Hashimov, head of Microsoft Azerbaijan.
AzInTelecom’s obtaining a partner status in the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program may become one of the areas of cooperation between the parties, and through Microsoft, AzInTelecom will be reselling licenses, or distribute solutions after purchasing licenses for server software from Microsoft, the company noted.
President Ilham Aliyev attends opening of new roads in Guba
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the inauguration of Rustov-Khanegah-Gurfah, Rustov-Noydun-Shudug, Rustov-Majkakhaja, Rustov-Baghchali-Yekdar highways in Guba after major overhaul.
Chairman of Azeravtoyol Open Joint Stock Company Saleh Mammadov informed the head of state of the reconstruction work.
The two-lane roads are more than 32km in length, and 6m in width.
Road safety poles, traffic signs, and informative boards were installed along the highways. Four bridges were constructed over the roads.
The head of state then cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the newly reconstructed roads.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan adopt trade, economic co-op plan for 2018-2020
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have adopted a “road map” of trade and economic cooperation for 2018-2020 and signed the final protocol of the 14th meeting of the intergovernmental commission, Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov told reporters in Baku.
The minister reminded that in April this year Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during his official visit to Azerbaijan held a meeting in Baku with the country’s President Ilham Aliyev, where a decision was made to intensify trade and economic cooperation.
“The intergovernmental commission was instructed to hold a meeting within the year and reach agreements on all spheres of cooperation,” Shahbazov said. “The task and activity’s directions were clear, and during the last two days, intensive work was carried out at the expert level, as a result of which a protocol and an action plan, which will serve as a basis for further cooperation, were agreed upon.”
The minister added that a number of concrete proposals were reflected in the “road map.”
“The document covers a lot of areas of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan: trade, transport, agriculture, engineering, tourism,” Shahbazov said. “These are the spheres where we have outlined close cooperation over the next three years.”
President Aliyev, Mehriban Aliyeva take part in opening of Guba branch of “Azerkhalcha” OJSC
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the inauguration of the Guba branch of "Azerkhalcha" Open Joint Stock Company.
President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the branch.
Chairman of the Board of "Azharkhalcha" OJSC Vidadi Muradov informed President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva of the work carried out here.
The Guba branch of the "Azerkhalcha" OJSC occupies a total area of 1300 square meters. 150 weavers and 12 administrative staff members will be employed in the branch. The building features a textile workshop, artist`s room, warehouse, canteen, medical point and sales room.
The head of state was informed that the weavers are residents of Guba and different villages of the district.
President Ilham Aliyev then met with carpet-weavers and posed for photographs together with them.
President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva inaugurate 'ASAN heyat' in Guba
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the opening of Guba “ASAN heyat” complex of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations.
The head of state and his spouse cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the complex.
Assistant to the president for work with law enforcement bodies and military issues, department head Fuad Alasgarov and Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations Inam Karimov informed the head of state about Guba “ASAN heyat” complex.
This complex is the 12th center of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The construction of Guba “ASAN life” complex, which is located on the Heydar Aliyev Avenue, was carried out at the highest level. The construction of the complex started early this year. The complex consists of a four-storey administrative building and six public catering facilities. “ASAN xidmet” center, “ASAN telim” center, “ABAD” center and “ABAD” school were established here.
The head of state toured the center. A total of 32 types of services will be provided for citizens by 10 state bodies in “ASAN xidmet” center. The center employs a 170-people staff and 45 volunteers. Guba “ASAN xidmet” center will serve nearly 500,000 citizens in Guba, Gusar, Khachmaz and Shabran districts.
President Ilham Aliyev was informed about “Ready 2.0” equipment.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were also informed about new projects.
“ASAN visa 2.0” system allows Azerbaijani citizens apply for foreign travel visas electronically.
“ASAN heyat” complexes are scheduled to be put into service in Shaki and Imishli districts in 2018.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva also visited “ABAD” center of the complex.
Large scale landscaping and construction work was carried out in the territory of Guba “ASAN heyat” complex. The complex occupies a total area of 1.58 hectares.
President Ilham Aliyev met with employees of Guba “ASAN heyat” complex.
On behalf of the complex staff, employees Tunzale Piriyeva and Fakhriyya Balakishiyeva thanked the head of state for the conditions created there.
EU ready to support establishment of SME Agency in Azerbaijan
The European Union (EU) is ready to support the establishment of the Agency for Small and Medium-sized Entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan.
The head of Operations Section at the EU mission in Baku, Jeroen Willems made the remarks at the first meeting of the working group on the project to support the implementation and monitoring of the "Strategic Roadmap for the Production of Consumer Goods in Azerbaijan at the Level of Small and Medium Enterprises".
He said that the creation of the Agency will greatly assist the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"We have already seen the positive impact of the establishment of the agency in other countries and are ready to support its establishment in Azerbaijan."
Work on the creation of the Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises began this spring.
The issue of creating a centralized Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises in the country is reflected in the "Strategic Roadmap for the Production of Consumer Goods in Azerbaijan at the Level of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises".
The management of the agency will include both representatives of the state and private sectors. Subsequently, in 2017-2018, it is planned to create a SME House under the agency, where a special center will operate to provide entrepreneurs with services on the principle of a "single window", employment services, a training center, a representative office of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), departments of international organizations and other instances.
The creation of the agency can increase Azerbaijan's GDP by 200 million manat by 2020 and create 240 new jobs. It is planned to attract investments worth 10 million manat in this regard.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan have potential for energy, transportation co-op: minister
Trade and economic cooperation is the basis of relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said during the 14th meeting of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation in Baku.
“Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, a constructive dialogue for solving topical issues has been dynamically developing,” the minister said.
Bozumbayev stressed the importance of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Azerbaijan in April, when a number of agreements were signed and the task was set to double the trade turnover between the two countries.
Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in energy and transportation has great potential, the minister noted.
“I am confident today’s meeting will contribute to development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan,” said Bozumbayev.
The minister also noted that the commission’s meeting will contribute to strengthening of bilateral relations and will help fulfill the tasks set by the Azerbaijani and Kazakh presidents.
President Ilham Aliyev takes part in laying of road section on Baku - Russia border
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a ground breaking ceremony of the road to be built on the 45-202 kilometer section of the Baku-Russia state border highway.
Chairman of Azeravtoyol Open Joint Stock Company Saleh Mammadov informed the head of state of the work to be done under the project.
The head of state then laid a foundation stone of the new road.
Azerbaijani scientists present new CO detector at Bakutel
Scientists with the High Tech Research Center of Azerbaijan demonstrated an improved version of carbon monoxide detector at the 23rd Azerbaijan International Exhibition of Telecommunication and Information Technologies (Bakutel 2017), the Center told Trend.
The new device, which is an improved version of the previously developed semiconductor detector, can measure the levels of not only carbon monoxide, but also other heavy gases.
“The market value of the device will be 35 manats. For comparison, a foreign analogue will cost $30-35, which is about twice as expensive as the local product.”
“The device is based on our know-how,” added the High Tech Research Center. “We managed to achieve its low price by skipping some components that lead to higher prices.”
Previously, the Center said the CO detector can be manufactured in Azerbaijan with a permission of relevant authorities.
Dec. 8
Azerbaijan to launch second regular cargo flight to Japan
Azerbaijan's Silk Way West Airlines will launch direct cargo flights to the Kansai International Airport of Japan starting from December 29, according to the Japanese website Aviation Wire.
The flight will be carried out by Silk Way's Boeing 747-400 or Boeing 747-8F once a week on Fridays.
Silk Way West Airlines previously launched direct cargo flights between Baku and the Japanese city of Komatsu.
The first flight from the Heydar Aliyev International Airport to the Komatsu Airport carried aboard some 34 tons of commercial cargo.
New director general appointed in Central Bank of Azerbaijan
Vugar Ahmadov has been appointed director general of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), the bank’s website said.
Thus, the number of director generals in the CBA has reached six.
From 2013 to 2017, Ahmadov served as director of the Research and Development Center of the CBA.
Azerbaijan invites Kazakh businessmen to invest in industrial parks
Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev has invited Kazakh entrepreneurs to become residents of agricultural and industrial parks, Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry said in a message.
Mustafayev made the proposal at a meeting with Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev in Baku.
Azerbaijan’s economy minister said that there are great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of transport, transit and cargo transportation. Both countries could also expand ties between their ports, he added.
The minister noted that the existing potential of trade cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan exceeds the current figure a lot. For today, there are more than 70 companies with Kazakh capital in Azerbaijan, and over 800 companies with Azerbaijani capital in Kazakhstan, Mustafayev added.
His Kazakh colleague, minister Kanat Bozumbayev, agreed that there is great potential for the development of trade relations.
At the same time, he noted the possibility of cooperation in the spheres of transit, cargo transportation, investments and agriculture, and stressed the importance of organizing a meeting in the engineering sphere among businessmen of both countries.
Azerbaijan proposes to prepare feasibility study for TASIM project
Azerbaijan has proposed to create a joint budget for the preparation of a feasibility study for the implementation of the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies told Trend.
According to the ministry, the proposal was approved by the participants of the project and the protocol was signed during BakuTel-2017 exhibition.
The TASIM construction project envisages the creation of a major transit link from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. Russia (Rostelecom), Kazakhstan (KazTransCom), Turkey (TurkTelecom) and China (China Telecom) are also involved in TASIM project. Azerbaijan is represented in the project by AzInTelecom LLC.
Turkey, Azerbaijan strengthening political, economic ties: presidential adviser
Turkey and Azerbaijan are increasingly strengthening political and economic ties, said Yalcin Topcu, chief adviser to the Turkish president, the country’s media reported. Topcu noted that the two fraternal countries are also simultaneously developing cultural and social ties.
“Such an important project as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway implemented by Azerbaijan jointly with Turkey contributes to the development of the region,” Topcu added.
Official opening of the BTK railway was held in Baku Oct. 30. The BTK railway was 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.
Minister talks on unemployment in Azerbaijan
Only 32 percent of the Azerbaijani working-age population have professions that are required by the market today, Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Salim Muslimov said. Muslimov made the remarks at a conference entitled "Using professional standards to develop the workforce in Azerbaijan" in Baku.
The minister said that the discrepancy between vocational education of job seekers and modern requirements of the labor market is one of the causes of unemployment.
"On the other hand, many existing specialties have become obsolete as a result of the rapid development of science and technologies,” the minister said. “Therefore, the creation of professional standards plays the role of the main tool in planning the recruitment process and further career growth of an employee, the formation of human resources that meet the requirements of employers, as well as in providing unemployed and job-seekers with jobs."
More than 400 professional and qualification standards have been prepared and are being used in Azerbaijan. Moreover, 300 existing professional standards are planned to be updated and over 500 new ones – to be prepared over the next few years.
The unemployment rate reaches five percent in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan drafts first report on transparency in extractive sector beyond EITI
The first report on transparency in the extractive sector prepared by Azerbaijan beyond the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is even more detailed than the reports created during the EITI membership period, Head of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) Shahmar Movsumov said.
Movsumov made the remarks in Baku during the presentation of the final report on transparency in the Azerbaijani extractive industry for 2016, prepared by Moore Stephens.
He said that during the period when Azerbaijan was an EITI member, the country regularly made the data on transparency public.
"During this period, we prepared more than 20 reports within the EITI,” he said. “Nevertheless, Azerbaijan faced double standards and prejudiced position in the organization. As a result, a decision was made to withdraw from EITI.”
“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures in early April 2017 in connection with an increase in reporting and transparency in the extractive industry, the main item of which was the establishment of the Extractive Industries Transparency Commission.”
"We attracted the international auditor and included the new data into the report,” he said. “Social expenditures of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR, information on PSA are described in details. Azerbaijan remained committed to the principles of transparency."
Over 500 professional standards may be developed in Azerbaijan – minister
Over the next three-four years, it is planned to develop more than 500 new professional standards in Azerbaijan, the country’s Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Salim Muslumov said at a conference titled “Using professional standards to develop the workforce in Azerbaijan.”
The minister said that during this period it is planned to update 300 existing professional standards.
“In 2010-2015, 289 professional and 63 qualification standards were prepared in Azerbaijan within the framework of the Social Protection Development Project jointly with the World Bank (WB),” the minister said.
“Then this process slightly slowed down because of lack of financing, and from the beginning of 2016 we prepared another 61 notes of professional standards. All of them are available on the website of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Labor, and only over the past eight months, the standards were used for more than 35,000 times.”
Muslumov noted that next year, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population will launch a new project in this sphere with the support of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan.
“The Professional Standards Sector was set up under the Department for Employment and Demography Policy of the Ministry to ensure continuation of the work on the creation of professional standards,” Muslumov said.
“The ministry staff studied the experience of Estonia and Turkey, which achieved great success in the field of professional standardization. A draft of rules and methodological advice for the preparation, approval and application of the professional standards was prepared,” he said.
“In order to bring these normative and legal acts in line with international standards and Azerbaijan’s national legislation, as well as to create the appropriate legal framework, we plan to start a new project in Azerbaijan jointly with the EU Delegation to the country,” he added.
Dec. 9
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan to lay optical cable through bottom of Caspian Sea
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will conduct bilateral negotiations on laying an optical cable through the bottom of the Caspian Sea in 2018 to rapidly implement the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project, a source in the Azerbaijani government told Trend.
According to the source, the laying of optical cable through the bottom of the Caspian Sea is the main part of the TASIM project.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, the Foreign Ministry and other relevant organizations, as well as the Kazakh Ministry of Information and Communication are responsible for the implementation of the project.
The political support of the sides is important in addressing the issue of the construction of the Caspian segment of TASIM project between the two countries.
The TASIM construction project envisages the creation of a major transit link from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. Russia (Rostelecom), Kazakhstan (KazTransCom), Turkey (TurkTelecom) and China (China Telecom) are also involved in TASIM project. Azerbaijan is represented in the project by AzInTelecom LLC.