BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 16. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina in energy can be extremely fruitful, Sefik Dzaferovic, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018-2022, Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, member of the national House of Peoples, told Trend.
He pointed out that President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the signed declaration, is an extremely important expression of firm commitment to cooperation and further strengthening of our bilateral ties,
Dzaferovic noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan have been known as friendly, brotherly countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and in the past period we have made them to be at an even higher level.
"I am convinced and wish that this trend will continue, to the benefit of our people. The Balkans and the Caucasus are very similar regions, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan are similar countries, which can understand each other well, and at the same time we have something to offer each other. During the visit of President Ilham Aliyev, special attention was paid to economic cooperation. It was agreed to establish a joint economic commission, as well as working groups in different sectors. On the one hand, Bosnia and Herzegovina has knowledge and tradition when it comes to industrial production, tourism is booming, there is a huge space for the development of agriculture and transport infrastructure," added Dzaferovic.
He noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the immediate neighborhood of the single European market.
"Also, in addition to the geographical position, we also have a special political position, as a country that has the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union. Azerbaijan is a country, which has made a strong economic momentum, using its energy resources in a smart way. In this sense, I see the announcements as positive, there is a strong interest of Azerbaijan in energy projects. As it was pointed out during the visit of President Ilham Aliyev, the expectations are that our trade exchange will increase in the coming period. Experience shows that nurturing good political relations creates trust for economic cooperation as well. The work of chambers of commerce has exceptional potential in this sense, especially when it comes to opening new connections between people and companies, which leads to the recognition of business opportunities. It is very important that the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan create the basis for stronger cooperation," said the former member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dzaferovic went on to add that in the newly emerging situation in Europe, as in the whole world, the importance of energy security, especially diversification in supply, has been demonstrated.
"Bosnia and Herzegovina has exceptional potential when it comes to hydropower and renewable sources, which represents a huge chance for our economy. When it comes to energy, Azerbaijan is an extremely recognizable and respected country, and I believe that cooperation on such projects, through joint research, can be extremely fruitful," he concluded.