EU representatives visit Barda, Tartar

By Azernews

By Sara Israfilbayova

Representatives of the EU mission in Azerbaijan have visited the country’s regions to reveal cooperation opportunities.

The head of operations section at the mission, Jeroen Willems, and project manager Ramila Aslanova visited Tartar and Barda regions on August 22-23, with the assistance of the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF).

In Tartar, they met with the head of the Tartar Region Executive Power, Mustagim Mammadov, who gave detailed information on the social and economic activities in the region.

He also highly appreciated the social and humanitarian work of the IEPF in this region, located not far from the frontline.

Then the guests visited the villages of Shikhark, Hasangaya and Gapanli, bordering the Armenia-occupied territories of Tartar, familiarized with the caused damage and the destroyed infrastructure.

IEPF Head Umud Mirzayev, in turn, informed about the work done to restore the social and economic infrastructure in these areas and the programs implemented by the IEPF in war-torn territories.

The EU delegation also got acquainted with demining works in the areas close to the contact line, as well as a new residential complex built for IDPs.

In Barda, Head of the Executive Power Vidadi Isayev informed Willems and Aslanova about the socio-economic situation, measures taken to develop the region’s economy and priorities in agriculture.

Mirzayev, in turn, underlined the importance of recent large-scale infrastructure projects in Barda. Later, the EU expert informed about the EU pilot project on development of entrepreneurship and cooperation in the Aran region.

Then the guests got acquainted with the activities of Agro Park and several farms and greenhouses in the region.

The EU with a total population of more than 500 million people is Azerbaijan's biggest economic partner accounting for the country’s 38 percent of foreign trade share.

Currently, the bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of an agreement on partnership and cooperation that was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999.

The new strategic partnership agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.