BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 14. Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its positions in the world arena and its role as a partner for Europe is becoming increasingly attractive. President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina is another example of how Azerbaijan's importance for Europe has increased over the past couple of years.
Within the meeting between business circles of the two countries, which happened prior to President Ilham Aliyev’s visit, Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina have agreed on expanding ties in investment, transport and logistics, trade, industry, agriculture, tourism, pharmaceuticals and other areas. Also, a MoU was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is another prove of how this cooperation is important for both the parties.
Azerbaijan, always trying to expand its export destinations, considers the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina as attractive and full of new opportunities for Azerbaijani entrepreneurs. Although the trade relations between the two countries are not developed that much. Over the last year the total trade turnover amounted to just over $5 million. However, those critical steps made just during this visit will boost commerce relations to the next level.
Another prominent step made yesterday within the framework of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina was the signing of the Declaration on the strategic partnership.
As President Ilham Aliyev said yesterday while making press statement with Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović in Sarajevo, this Declaration shows the directions of Azerbaijani-Bosnian future development.
The document on the strategic partnership implies various objectives, such as a more effective and broad cooperation between the parties, more regular contacts, efficient economic relations, cooperation in the field of security, and many more.
"Strategic partnership is a special relationship. This places a great responsibility on both countries. We are ready for this responsibility. I am sure that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan will continue to work together as strategic partners in the true sense of the word," President Ilham Aliyev said.
Moreover, the opening of the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Azerbaijan, another issue on which the two sides agreed, will add great impetus to bilateral relations.
Having invested billions in the economies of other countries, Azerbaijan always strives to find new partners, and Bosnia, in this regard, is not an exception.
President Ilham Aliyev underlined that there are ample opportunities in cooperation in green energy with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, in this regard, a joint research will be conducted for hydropower and other types of renewables.
"Azerbaijan has invested billions of dollars in foreign countries, and, of course, we are very interested in cooperating with Bosnia and Herzegovina in this field," President Ilham Aliyev added.
Furthermore, the parties also touched upon cooperation in the field of transport, noting that all directions should be thoroughly investigated in this case. Azerbaijan, having developed its transport and logistics infrastructure, has become one of the main links on the Middle Corridor. However, the country continues to heavily increase investments in key infrastructure of other countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina, being one of the key players on the Balkans, has got great prospects in boosting its potential through joint projects with Azerbaijan, and thus, linking the two major regions - the South Caucasus and the Balkans - together for the benefit of all.
The visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Sarajevo is a vivid evidence of the comprehensive and progressive development of the Azerbaijani-Bosnian strategic partnership. Perhaps few can boast of such relations with so many European countries. Today, thanks to the farsighted policy of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is on an equal footing with its European partners, it is listened to. Today, one can hardly imagine Europe without Caucasus. And Azerbaijan, as the main player in the Caucasus, will become more and more important for the partners in the wider region.