Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan and Jordan agreed to open trade houses in the two countries in conclusion of talks held in Baku on Tuesday.

An agreement, signed at the end of the inter-governmental commission meeting, also commits the two countries to expand cooperation in the fields of economics and trade, investments, industry and energy, communications and information technologies, agriculture, customs, transport, education, health, culture, and tourism.

Azerbaijani Economic Development Minister Shahin Mustafayev, a co-chair of the bilateral commission who co-signed the protocol, said in his remarks that following the first meeting of the commission held in Amman in 2009, Azerbaijan and Jordan signed agreements on cooperation in education and ICT. Also, the parties agreed to sign documents covering agriculture, veterinary services, customs, trade, and air transport, and work on them is underway.

Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade, Hani El-Mulki, said his country was interested in broadening its relations with Azerbaijan, and both countries have great potential for the purpose.

An Azerbaijani-Jordanian business forum attended by the two countries’ ministers was also held in Baku on Tuesday. On the sidelines of the event, heads of Azerbaijan’s National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations, and Jordan’s Chamber of Commerce signed a memorandum on cooperation.

The business forum was attended by over 50 entrepreneurs of the two countries engaged in the construction sector, consulting and other fields.

"I believe that this business forum will give an impetus to a further expansion of our cooperation that has been developing intensively in recent years," Minister Mustafayev said.

Mustafayev noted that Azerbaijan accounts for 70 percent of the South Caucasus region’s economy. Over $100 billion has been invested in the Azerbaijani economy so far, with more than a half of the amount being foreign investments, he added.

Azerbaijani-Jordanian trade turnover made up $2.473 million in 2010. Azerbaijan’s imports accounted for 99.2 percent of the volume.