Baku, Zagreb eye to opening up new horizons for cooperation
A delegation of Croatia led by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia, Co-chair of the Azerbaijan-Croatia Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation Martina Dalic visited Baku this week.
Adelegation of Croatia led by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia, Co-chair of the AzerbaijanCroatia Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation Martina Dalic visited Baku this week.
As part of the visit the two countries officials specifically considered the areas of industry, energy, health, youth and sports, culture, tourism, transport, communications and information technology as well as agriculture.
Issues of development of bilateral economic relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia were discussed during the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev.
The head of state hailed the bilateral relations between the two countries, and recalled Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic's visit to Azerbaijan, describing it as a success.
The President hailed reciprocal visits at different levels between the two countries. The head of state underlined the importance of mutual trade, investment and collaboration of companies in terms of expanding cooperation in a variety of fields, noting the significance of the activities of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in this regard.
Pointing to Azerbaijan-European Union relations, President Aliyev underlined that the recent Eastern Partnership Summit was a success and yielded good results, and emphasized the importance of the Declaration adopted at the Summit. The head of state said work is underway on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU, and expressed his hope that the agreement will cover all areas of bilateral cooperation – in accordance with best mutual interests – including political, economic, energy and cultural ones.
The President hailed good prospects for long-term energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Croatia, praising Croatia's regular participation in the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council.
Martina Dalic, in turn, pointed out high level of bilateral relations between the two countries, noting the importance of the two presidents' joint efforts in terms of expansion of bilateral cooperation. She underlined ample opportunities for deepening Azerbaijan-Croatia cooperation in investment, trade and other spheres.
Azerbaijan, Croatia expand economic cooperation
Azerbaijan and Croatia held the first meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in Baku on November 28, which was focused on the development and deepening of cooperation between the two countries in all spheres.
The sides have made serious progress in the political, economic and humanitarian areas of cooperation and have established a broad legal basis for the development of relations. They have agreed to expand cooperation in chemistry, recycling, light industry, shipbuilding and pharmacy to further expand cooperation.
During the meeting the co-chairman from the Azerbaijani side, Azerbaijan's Taxes Minister Fazil Mammadov and the co-chairman of the Croatian side, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Martina Dalich, considered bilateral cooperation issues.
Two sides discussed important trends that occurred after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia including mutual visits of the Presidents of the two countries, high level meetings between the two countries, and some 20 agreements signed on the mutual relations of two countries.
Mammadov said that the Commission was set up in Zagreb on March 11, 2013 under the “Agreement on Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Croatia” and will promote the development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
By the end of 2016, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $284.700, of which $51.200 was for the import of goods to Azerbaijan, and exports to Croatia reached $233.500. In January-September of 2017, the trade turnover between the countries amounted to $105,000.
Noting that one of the important directions facing the Commission was to support expansion of economic relations, Mammadov expressed confidence that the reached negotiations, agreements, and the signed documents will promote the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The minister said that business relations played an important role in expanding economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Croatia and noted that there were four business forums in the two countries that are important for the development of direct contacts between business circles.
Emphasizing that there are many promising areas for bilateral relations between the two countries, Mammadov noted that in recent years various new industrial parks and attractive conditions for investors, including tax incentives, in the parks have been created in Azerbaijan.
Stressing the importance of energy cooperation, the minister said that Croatia is interested in the implementation of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which aims to deliver Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe. Azerbaijan is also one of the signatories to the Memorandum of on Mutual Understanding, Support and Cooperation in the Construction of TAP and Ion-Adriatic Gas Pipelines.
Dalich, for his part, noted that they are open for cooperation based on mutual interests and friendship principles. She noted that the political, economic and humanitarian relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia are developing, adding that the first meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation would contribute to further strengthening of successful cooperation in various spheres.
Baku and Zagreb have wide opportunities for realizing their potential in the fields of industry, energy, transport, sports, tourism, education, especially in the field of information technology, the Croatian minister noted.
Dalich stressed that they will make efforts to further expand the Croatian-Azerbaijani relations.
At the end of the meeting, a protocol on the outcomes of the first meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Croatia was signed by the co-chairs of the commission.
At the meeting with her Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev, the sides discussed mutual projects. Azerbaijan offers Croatia to establish joint enterprises for production of spare parts for shipbuilding sector and to launch direct flights for development of tourism.
“Azerbaijan and Croatia have great potential for expansion of ties in industry, shipbuilding, oil industry, chemistry, pharmaceutics, transit, tourism, agriculture, trade and other spheres,” Mustafayev added.
The minister also offered to organize a presentation of Azerbaijan’s industrial and petrochemical potential, as well as projects being implemented in the country in these spheres for the Croatian companies.
Speaking about cooperation between the two countries, Mustafayev stressed that Azerbaijan and Croatia signed a declaration on strategic partnership in 2013. The Azerbaijani minister added that both countries are cooperating within the Southern Gas Corridor project.