Azerbaijan, Czech Republic keen to expand non-oil goods export [PHOTO]

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan and Czech Republic voiced commitment to strengthening and expanding the partnership, as the officials and entrepreneurs of the two countries met in Baku.

The capital city hosted an Azerbaijan-Czech Business Forum on January 17, where a large delegation including about 170 Czech businessmen, engaged in agriculture, food industry, finance, insurance, energy, logistics, construction, law, petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, glass production and other sectors of the economy, and led by Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek took part.

Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, addressing the event, highlighted the country's interest in expanding the export of non-oil products to the Czech Republic.

Mustafayev noted that an analysis has been held in order to determine the list of goods that Azerbaijan can export to the Czech market.

“First of all, it is a variety of agricultural products, including nuts, tea, fruits and vegetables, cotton, wine and others,” he clarified.

Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic, said the minister, can also develop cooperation in the industrial, transportation, tourism, finance and other spheres.

Czech Republic, a reliable partner for Azerbaijan in several fields, mainly imports Azerbaijani oil, while industrial equipment and consumer goods are exported to Azerbaijan. Currently, the two countries intend to focus on non-oil sector.

Speaking on the activities of Czech entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan, the minister said that the total amount of their investment in the economy amounted to $1.3 billion so far.  

Another 1.8 billion euros were granted by Czech banks for the implementation of various projects in Azerbaijan. In addition, Czech companies as contractors involved in various projects in Azerbaijan, totaling $ 16 billion, added Mustafayev.

The Czech Republic ranks the 12th in the list of main importers of Azerbaijani goods. The share of the Czech Republic in the total export from Azerbaijan totaled 2.58 percent in January-November 2016.

Mládek, in turn, began his speech praising stable economic relations established between the two states.

“Azerbaijan is a strategic supplier of oil to the Czech Republic and today these supplies provide about a third of the needs of the Czech Republic,” Mladek said, adding that the country is interested in implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project, aiming to deliver gas from Azerbaijan to Europe.

Today most of the gas supplied to the Czech Republic, comes from Russia via Ukraine, reminded the minister, mentioning that the prospects of supplies on this route are not clear.

"So the Czech Republic is interested in securing new supply sources - from Azerbaijan, in the future from Iran and other Caspian states," he stressed.

On Azerbaijani-Czech economic relations, the minister noted cooperation develops between the two countries in non-oil field. Mladek said his country is interested in developing ties with Azerbaijan in relevant field.

He said that Czech companies have great opportunities in the field of agriculture and food production, as well as education, science, power industry, medicine, and environmental protection.

"There is a large potential for development of cooperation in the tourism sector. For several years Azerbaijani tourists actively visit Czech Republic. Moreover, there are a lot of opportunities to attract Czech tourists to Azerbaijan," he emphasized.

The minister  further stressed that the two countries signed a number of agreements on strategic partnership, where the Czech Republic supports not only the development of bilateral cooperation, but also the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union and is interested in strengthening the "Eastern Partnership" program.

Mládek also noted that the Czech Republic supports Azerbaijan's intention to join the WTO and is ready to provide full support to Baku in this respect.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic amounted to $316 million in January-November 2016, and $214.4 million of which accounted for the export of Azerbaijani goods to the Czech Republic, according to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee.