Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23
By Aysham Rustamova - Trend:
Azerbaijani construction companies are seeking foreign markets, Deputy Director General of Azinko Holding company Agalar Allahyarov said in an interview with Trend.
He also noted that the work on the construction of a 52-story business center will be completed by the end of the year, after which the finishing work will continue.
"The 52-story business center is being built at 109 Heydar Aliyev Avenue," he noted. "The commissioning of the Baku Tower is scheduled for 2020. At the end of the year, other projects will also be launched."
He said that the company is ready and can apply its experience in the field of construction gained in Azerbaijan, beyond its borders.
"We are in talks with the UAE, Bahrain, Turkey and Russia," he added. "In Azerbaijan, the construction boom has decreased, while there is demand [for construction work] in these countries. We are participating in some foreign tenders. There is an idea to work in the hotel sector in Bahrain. Furthermore, there is also demand for housing and hotel construction in Russia. We would like to enter these markets."
Allahyarov went to say, "Our experience is our advantage over other tender participants. We plan to participate in the construction of residential complexes around the new airport in Turkey. In Baku we have built dozens of such complexes. We have ties with well-known international companies specializing in the field of architecture and the control [over construction works[. We are confident in the reliability of our specialists and human resources," said.
Allahyarov noted that the decline in the construction sector of Azerbaijan is caused by the decrease in demand.
"Five years ago, we built mostly residential buildings," he said. "Then we switched to building hotels and business centers. However, the market is oversaturated, and orders in the construction sector are decreasing. Investments are needed for revitalization of the construction sector."
In his words, reforms to increase transparency will help revitalize the industry and attract investors. Simplification of the procedure for obtaining building permits, introduction of a single window system and other measures will have their positive impact.
He added that for now, the existing problems cause outflow of potential investors. "With the elimination of bureaucratic barriers, serious revival will begin in the construction sector," he said.