Azerbaijan, Ukraine outline major fields of cooperation
By Amina Nazarli
Azerbaijan and Ukraine voiced their readiness to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade and economic sphere.
The two countries announced this decision during the meeting between President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Azerbaijan’s delegation headed by Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev in Kiev on March 14.
The meeting covered issues of cooperation in shipbuilding, aircraft construction, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
The head of the Ukrainian state positively assessed the dynamics of relations between the two countries, which became possible thanks to the intensification of contacts between the heads of the two states.
Poroshenko called holding the 12th meeting of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation in Kiev in 2017 very important.
As part of the visit, Mustafayev also met with Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan, where the Ukrainian official said that Kiev is interested in expanding the presence of Azerbaijani road companies in Ukraine.
“We have already had examples of successful work of Azerbaijani road companies in Ukraine. I am convinced that this year companies from Azerbaijan can participate in the implementation of projects that will be conducted with the funds of international financial organizations and in the future in the implementation of projects to be financed from the budget,” he said.
He stressed that the development of transit through Ukraine in
the direction of Europe-Asia is a priority.
"Azerbaijan is a key link in this line. We must establish our joint
work so that the route to be convenient, reliable and cost
competitive transportation," Omelyan added.
The Ukrainian minister also called on Azerbaijan to take part in the development of the port infrastructure in Ukraine.
Earlier within the framework of the visit Mustafayev met with Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Kutovyi, where he said that Azerbaijan considers it promising to partake in agriculture investment projects in Ukraine.
During the meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Vladimir Groysman, the parties agreed to expand interstate cooperation in various fields. Groysman and Mustafayev highlighted the opening of the Trade House in Kiev as one of the most promising areas of Ukrainian-Azerbaijani cooperation. That will stimulate trade between the two countries and increase the flow of Azerbaijani investments to Ukraine.
Azerbaijan is one of the main trade partners of Ukraine among the CIS countries. Trade turnover between he two countries amounted to $334.18 million in 2016, according to Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
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