TODAY.AZ / Business

Afghanistan interested in increasing imports of oil products from Azerbaijan

27 May 2019 [14:41] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Leman Mammadova

Afghanistan is interested in expanding the volume and range of oil products purchased from SOCAR. 

President of Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev met with a delegation led by Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan Ajmal Ahmadi on May 24.

The sides expressed their interest to establish and develop long-term relations between Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, it was noted that Azerbaijani oil products have been imported to the fuel market of Afghanistan in recent years. The sides exchanged views on expanding cooperation at the state level.

Minister Ahmadi briefed on the country's fuel market and offered to take cooperation with SOCAR to a new level to diversify fuel supplies.

He also made a proposal to expand the range and volumes of petroleum products purchased from SOCAR. The state company already supplies diesel, kerosene and liquid butane to Afghanistan.

Within his visit to Baku, Ahmadi also met with the Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev.

During the meeting, Mustafayev noted that more than 15 documents have been signed between the two countries in the fields of economy and trade, and the Working Group on Economic Cooperation has been established. He also added that the first meeting of the Working Group is scheduled for July this year in Baku.

In his words, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 37 percent last year, and by 50 percent in January-April 2019 compared to the same period last year.

It should be noted that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan reached $71.5 million in 2018.

The minister pointed to the great opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, investment, transport, communications, construction, road construction, soil reclamation, production of building materials, etc.

Ahmadi, in turn, stressed that Afghanistan is interested in developing economic cooperation with Azerbaijan, noting Afghanistan's industrial, trade and investment opportunities as well as importance of organization of meetings between businessmen.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the expansion of economic and trade relations, as well as the first meeting of the Azerbaijan-Afghanistan Joint Working Group, the exhibition of Afghan goods in Baku, the meetings between businessmen and participation of Azerbaijani companies in the tenders held in Afghanistan.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan, based on friendship and brotherhood, have strong background. Afghanistan recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on December 21, 1991. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on November 16, 1994.

Azerbaijan strongly supports Afghanistan on its path towards reaching stability. The contribution of Azerbaijan to the stability and development of Afghanistan is not restricted in the involvement in NATO operations. Azerbaijan supports the Afghan way of reforms by its assistance in the areas of education, infrastructure and transport development, investments and enhancing the role of women in the society.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan supports the fair position of Azerbaijan in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Afghanistan supports the solution of the conflict on the basis of international law within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan are developing both in bilateral and multilateral formats.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/business/182983.html

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