Azerbaijan, Netherlands sign MoU on water resource management
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijan’s Emergency Situations Ministry and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of management of water resources.
The deal was inked by Azerbaijani Minister Kamaladdin Heydarov and Dutch Minister Melanie Henriette Schultz van Haegen-Maas Geesteranus in Gabala.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Heydarov provided an insight into activities of his ministry. He hailed cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands in preventing and eliminating emergency situations.
The minister stressed the importance of deepening cooperation in water resource management and prevention of floods.
In her turn, Geesteranus also noted the importance of developing bilateral relations.
During her stay in Azerbaijan, the Dutch minister will visit some agencies of the emergency situations ministry.
Relations between the two countries develop gradually especially in economic sector. Trade turnover between the countries increased by 24 percent in 2013 and amounted to $320 million. This year, the more increase is expected.
Dutch companies have made nearly $670 million direct investments in Azerbaijan's economy and rank fourth on this index among the countries investing in Azerbaijan.
Dutch companies are mainly investing in the non-oil and non-financial fields, and the country made investments worth about $180 million in Azerbaijan last year.