Minister: Ukrainian firms can benefit from Azerbaijan’s industrial parks
By Sara Israfilbayova
The opening of Azerbaijan Trade House in Ukraine will increase export of non-oil products, Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said at a meeting with Ukrainian Ambassador to Baku Alexander Mishchenko.
The parties exchanged views on opportunities of expanding the Azerbaijan-Ukraine economic relations and cooperation. They noted that the ties between the two countries are at a high level and the heads of the states attach special importance to the development of cooperation.
Mustafayev noted that the country plans to open Azerbaijan Trade House in Ukraine. “Azerbaijan is a transit hub of the region and is implementing big projects in this sphere. A Coordination Council on transit freight traffic operates in order to increase the efficiency of transit traffic. Ukraine can benefit from transit opportunities of Azerbaijan, including the potential of the Baku International Sea Trade Port,” said the minister.
The minister went on to say that Azerbaijan carried out huge work for creating the pharmaceutical industry and Pirallahi Industrial Park. Stressing the country’s rich experience in the pharmaceutical sector, he said that there are big opportunities for cooperation with Ukraine in this area.
Noting that several Ukrainian companies show interest in Azerbaijan’s pharmaceutical industry and meetings were held in this regard, Mustafayev emphasized that Ukrainian companies can benefit from opportunities created for investors in Azerbaijan’s industrial parks.
Ambassador Mishchenko, in turn, said that Ukrainians are interested in therapeutic opportunities of Naftalan just like tourists from Azerbaijan come to Truskavets with the purpose of treatment.
The envoy noted that the relevant information about Naftalan has already been presented to Ukraine’s tourism companies.
Noting the expansion of trade relations between the two countries and growth of the export, the diplomat said that Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR is well- known in Ukraine and filling stations of the Azerbaijani company may be used for promotion of Azerbaijani products.
The two sides also discussed the issues of expanding trade relations, investments and other issues of mutual interest.
Azerbaijan’s first Trade House was opened in the Belarusian capital Minsk. Along with Ukraine, Azerbaijan plans to open Trade Houses in Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan were established on February 6, 1992.
Azerbaijan is considered one of the main trade partners of Ukraine among the CIS countries. Main goods imported from Ukraine to Azerbaijan are mainly metallurgy products, machine building products, agro-industrial products, and chemical industry products, while main goods exported from Azerbaijan to Ukraine are generally products of fuel energy industry, chemical industry products, and agro-industrial products.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Ukraine amounted to $334.18 million in 2016, according to Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee.
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