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Brexit not to affect Azerbaijan-UK relations, says ambassador

24 January 2019 18:37 (UTC+04:00)
Brexit not to affect Azerbaijan-UK relations, says ambassador

By Trend

Brexit will not affect trade and economic relations between Great Britain and Azerbaijan, Carole Crofts, the Ambassador of Great Britain to Azerbaijan, told Trend.

She said the economic ties between the states are expanding, adding that work is being carried out to strengthen cooperation in such areas of the non-oil sector as agriculture, tourism, IT etc.

"We have the next meeting of UK-Azerbaijan Joint Intergovernmental Commission in April, during which we will have many discussions on how we can cooperate and decide in which sectors the support might be needed," Crofts noted.

The ambassador underlined that the UK is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in the financial sector and help the country to become a financial center of the region.

"We have a wonderful Trade Envoy - Baroness Emma Nicholson, who will be in Baku on February 20 at the meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor. She will hold discussions on cooperation in this area," Crofts explained.

So far, the UK has invested over $27 billion in the economy of Azerbaijan. The sides have signed about 15 bilateral agreements so far.

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Great Britain stood at $525.2 million in 2018, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Around $261.4 million of this amount accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products. The trade turnover between the two countries increased by 46.5 percent as compared to the same period of 2017.

Brexit is the impending withdrawal of the UK from the EU. It follows a referendum of June 23, 2016 when 51.9 percent of voters supported withdrawal. The UK will leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

Last week, the British parliament rejected the draft agreement proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May, which she had previously agreed with the EU and her own cabinet of ministers.

The agreement was criticized by both supporters of the “tough” Brexit and those who demanded a repeated referendum on EU membership and preservation of unity with Europe.

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