Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13
By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:
Azerbaijan as one of the new observer countries in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), will take advantage to strengthen the economic, trade and political ties with the organization that represents a significant majority of the Eurasian territories, political analyst, expert on international relations at Marquette University (US), Peter Tase told Trend July 13.
Tase said that Azerbaijan is one of a very few countries in the world that has immensely contributed and invested significant resources towards the global humanitarian issues and respect for human rights.
Humanitarian cooperation is an important initiative for SCO member countries, he added. "As a result, they all can learn from the successful experience that Azerbaijan has to offer."
The political analyst added that over the recent years, Baku has demonstrated a dynamic economic growth and an admirable financial and fiscal stability.
"Such characteristics make the Land of Fire a suitable and reliable partner of the SCO," the expert said.
"Among the countries that were newly admitted as the SCO dialogue partner members (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal), Azerbaijan has the highest GDP per capita and the lowest inflation rate when compared to the other three nations," said Tase.
Azerbaijani government has invested so much resource towards connecting Europe and Asia by developing regional projects in the areas of energy, agriculture, communications, technological cooperation, commerce, logistics infrastructure and public transportation, the expert said.
"All SCO member countries will have a great opportunity to learn from the best practices of Azerbaijan, since the former is highly focused towards boosting regional trade, economy, industry and logistics to mention a few," said the political analyst.
An important sector in which Azerbaijan can have a leading role at SCO is further cooperation in economic growth, banking and financial sector among member countries, according to Tase.
Azerbaijan also can highly contribute in the framework of SCO, by enhancing border security and curtailing extremism in the Eurasian landmass, he added.
A highly beneficial aspect for Azerbaijan in the SCO is an additional platform of direct discussions with the leadership of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the political analyst said.
The participation of Azerbaijan at the regular SCO - UNESCAP meeting sessions will lead to important regional cooperation especially in the sector of regional infrastructure such as the development of Silk Road Economic Zone and the Super Highway, in which Azerbaijani government can share its expertise, Tase added.
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