Baku, Dushanbe to expand economic cooperation

By Azernews

By Sara Israfilbayova

Baku will host the next meeting of the Azerbaijan-Tajikistan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation on July 13-14.

The commission’s previous meeting was held in Dushanbe in October 2014.

Tajik Ambassador to Baku Zohir Saidov told Trend on June 30 that his country’s delegation will be headed by Minister of Economic Development and Trade Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, who is also the commission’s co-chairman from the Tajik side.

Hikmatullozoda aims to meet with Azerbaijani officials and businessmen during the visit and discuss the expansion of economic cooperation.

Meanwhile, it is planned to present Tajikistan’s investment opportunities during the meeting of intergovernmental commission.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 29, 1992. The embassy of Tajikistan in Azerbaijan has been operating since March 23, 2008. The embassy of Azerbaijan in Dushanbe began functioning on September 22, 2007.

Tajikistan imports alumina and petroleum coke from Azerbaijan for the production of aluminum. Annually Ganja combine produces 420,000 tons of alumina, more than 300,000 tons of which are usually exported to Tajikistan. At the same time, Tajikistan imports pomegranate juice, butter, sugar and agricultural products from Azerbaijan.

Moreover, transit transport is an important component of trade and economic relations between the countries. One of the important ways for Tajikistan to deliver products to the world market is the corridor of Turkmenbashi-Baku-Poti.

The country’s trade turnover with Tajikistan amounted to $12.32 million in 2016 as compared to $6.44 million in 2015, according to Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee. Azerbaijan’s export to Tajikistan totaled $12.08 million in 2016, while import amounted to $238,500.