Azerbaijan invests some $10 mln in Belarus annually: envoy
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan invests around $10 million in the Belarusian economy annually, Belarusian Ambassador in Baku Nikolai Paskevich said on January 21.
Speaking at a press conference, the ambassador noted trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Azerbaijan remained at the strategic partnership level in 2013.
The industrial cooperation, joint projects in the fields of construction, education, health, science and technologies are the main priorities of cooperation between the two countries, he said.
"In 2013, there were new projects on cooperation with the Ganja automobile plant for joint production of tractors and the assembly of experimental batches of buses and trucks which are currently being tested," he said.
The trade turnover increased by 63 percent amounting to $268.6 million in January-November 2013, compared to the same period of 2012, the Belarusian National Statistics Committee reported.
"Belarus is aimed at long term cooperation with Azerbaijan and it is based on fraternal relations," he said. "The presidents set this task for us. They have repeatedly pointed out that the cooperation potential is far from exhausted."
"We are ready to provide Azerbaijan with necessary technologies which can be considered as our investment to the country's economy," he said. "We create working places, and today 800-1,000 working places have been opened in Ganja car plant."
Paskevich also said Azerbaijan and Belarus currently cooperate actively in the construction sector. The Belarusian companies supply wallpapers, reinforced-concrete complements to Azerbaijan and provide services in the design field.
Azerbaijan and Belarus established diplomatic relations in 1993. There is vast potential for the development of investment cooperation between the two counties and for Azerbaijan's involvement in the projects implemented in Belarus.
Belarus is interested in increasing the capacity of Belarusian assembly plants operating in Azerbaijan, as well as implementation of new projects in construction, education, health, science and culture sectors.