Moldovan PM: Moldova set to deepen trade relations with Azerbaijan
By Ayya Lmahamad
Moldova is set to deepen trade relations with Azerbaijan, Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said during a meeting with business circles in Baku, Azernews reports per Trend.
“We are equally determined to deepen our trade and investment ties with key countries from the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan in particular,” she said.
Noting that Moldova sees Azerbaijan as a strong and reliable partner, she emphasized that this view is shared by Brussels, along with key EU capitals.
“I commend the recent effort of deepening the partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU, which adds another important strategic dimension to the prospects for our cooperation. We are in fact building digital bridges between the public and the private sectors to allow for much-needed systemic alteration, but also for a real change in our national and regional mindset. We’re more than ready to welcome and accommodate Azerbaijani investors on this journey,” she said.
Moreover, Natalia Gavrilita also noted that as the EU seeks to mitigate the economic consequences of the situation in Ukraine, to facilitate economic links between Moldova and the EU, Azerbaijan can be a trusted partner in this process.
Demand for Azerbaijani gas
The Moldovan prime minister underlined that there is a large demand for gas from Azerbaijan.
She noted that at the moment, Moldova is looking for short-term solutions.
“We are looking for partners to fill our gas storages, to ensure the supply for two months. It will be about 300 million cubic meters,” she said.
At the same time, she emphasized that Moldova is also looking for long-term partners, adding that in this regard, she counts on Azerbaijan as a reliable partner.
“No country can rely on a single supplier of energy resources. We hope to have productive negotiations with Azerbaijan in the future. Today there is a great demand for Azerbaijani gas. We are closely watching the EU interest in Azerbaijani gas,” she said.
Economic relations
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Economy Minister Sahib Mammadov stated that Azerbaijan and Moldova are developing relations in all economic spheres.
He noted that trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $13.5 million in January-August 2022, adding that export from Azerbaijan to Moldova grew by 13 times.
The deputy minister also mentioned that Azerbaijan invested about $9.7 million in Moldova, while Moldova invested $3.8 million in Azerbaijan from 1995 to 2021.
Cooperation in agricultural sector
Likewise, Natalia Gavrilita stated that Azerbaijan and Moldova seek to expand cooperation in the agricultural sector.
"We talked about a number of issues. I had very productive discussions with Azerbaijani officials. There are a number of potential areas of cooperation," she said.
Noting that Moldova is currently in the phase of diversifying not only energy resources but also fertilizers, she stated that Moldova is already importing fertilizers from Azerbaijan.
"We are looking for investors in the processing of our agriculture. Our cooperation in this sense is already productive," she said.
The prime minister also added that Moldova received a very positive response in terms of increasing transport operations with Azerbaijan.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 29, 1992. The embassy of Azerbaijan in Moldova was opened on October 5, 2005, while the embassy of Moldova in Azerbaijan was opened on November 1, 2005.
In total, fifty-nine documents were signed between the two countries. The trade relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova amounted to $6.2 million in 2021.
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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
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