Central Asia and Azerbaijan are a single region of strategic importance – Ilham Aliyev

Baku/14.09.23/Turan: Central Asia and Azerbaijan are a single historical and cultural geographical region of strategic importance in world politics with a growing economy, demography and geopolitical potential, President Ilham Aliyev stated today at the 5th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of Central Asian states in Dushanbe. Aliyev pointed to Azerbaijan's growing ties with the countries of the region, including in the trade and economic sphere.

"Last year, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with Central Asian countries increased by more than 3 times. For 7 months of this year, an increase of another 50 percent was provided. Joint investment funds have been created, the volume of mutual investments for more than $ 1 billion in the next 3 years has been agreed," he said.

Azerbaijan implements many projects with the countries of the region in the fields of industrial cooperation, mechanical engineering, automotive industry, shipbuilding and agriculture, including cotton growing, sericulture, horticulture and animal husbandry. Investment projects in the field of hotel business and tourism are at the stage of implementation.

"We see the interest of companies from Central Asia in the newly created Free Economic Zone Alat in Azerbaijan," Aliyev said, noting that Azerbaijan is a transit country for the countries of Central Asia to the markets of Turkey and Europe. Transit in the opposite direction is no less important. To meet the growing demand for cargo transportation on the East-West route, Azerbaijan is modernizing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

Azerbaijan has the largest merchant fleet in the Caspian Sea, numbering more than 50 vessels. Taking into account the growing demand of shippers from Central Asia, we are actively working to expand our shipbuilding industry. Soon, the number of tankers and bulk carriers produced annually will increase from 6 to 10-15 per year, Aliyev said.

A new area of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia will be the Digital Silk Road project on the creation of fiber-optic infrastructure, Ilham Aliyev said in conclusion. ---06B---