Baku, Azerbaijan, May 16
By Azad Hasanli - Trend:
Greece can assist Azerbaijan in developing tourism and information technologies, Rahman Mustafayev, Azerbaijani ambassador to Greece, said.
"Today the main tasks for the Azerbaijani economy are to diversify and reduce dependence on oil and gas production, create jobs at new enterprises," Mustafayev said in an interview with Greek media. "There is a need for an education reform as the specialists are required in the districts where the country's government plans to increase economic activity."
"Among other priorities are the reduction of dependence on imports, the growth of exports, IT-sector development, the creation of tourism industry," he said.
"Greek companies have experience and knowledge in all these areas," the ambassador said, adding that this creates additional opportunities for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation."
Mustafayev also reminded of the fourth meeting of the Azerbaijan-Greece Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Industrial and Technological Cooperation, to be held in Athens on May 26-27.
The diplomat said that among the main topics of the meeting is the revival of trade between Azerbaijan and Greece, which dropped up to a very low level.
According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the Azerbaijan-Greece trade turnover hit $162 million in 2015.
"Azerbaijan and Greece will also discuss the cooperation in such priority sectors as energy, health protection, agriculture, tourism, transport, IT, development of small and medium business, education, culture, science, sport," Mustafayev added.