BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 14. A meeting with entrepreneurs was held in Azerbaijan's Agsu district through the organizational support of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA), Trend reports citing the SMBDA.
According to the agency, the aim of the meeting was to study the needs of entrepreneurs working in Agsu in the field of building and developing businesses, learn about the problems they face, and inform them about state support mechanisms, including SMBDA support and services.
Within the framework of the event with the participation of entrepreneurs operating in the Agsu district and representatives of state structures providing services to business entities, the SME Friend concept, created to provide support to entrepreneurs on the spot, was presented to the business community of the district.
Aghsu SME Friend is the third operating in the Mountain-Shirvan economic region (after offices in Shamakhi and Shirvan cities). In total, SME Friend network currently covers 39 cities and districts of the country.
At a meeting with entrepreneurs, SMBDA Board Chairman Orkhan Mammadov noted the importance of the SME Friend network in terms of providing local support to business entities.
He said that SME Friend network carries out activities in such areas as the implementation of entrepreneurial initiatives of micro, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, protection of the interests of entrepreneurs, coordination with government agencies.
Noting the potential of the Agsu district for business development, Mammadov emphasized the support of SME Friend in realizing this economic potential and invited entrepreneurs to active cooperation.
The Head of the Agsu District Executive Power Rovshan Baghirov noted that as a result of the successful socio-economic policy pursued in Azerbaijan, the regions are developing, favorable opportunities have appeared in Aghsu for further expansion of entrepreneurial activity.
Baghirov noted that the SME Friend office, which started its activities in Aghsu, will be useful for entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Within the framework of the event, films were shown about the mechanisms for supporting SMEs, and answers were given to questions of interest to entrepreneurs.
Then the management of SMBDA got acquainted with the activities of the Aghsu agricultural park. It was noted that the agro-park specializing in agriculture and animal husbandry has been operating since 2018. Currently, the agro-park employs about 200 permanent employees. There is also a seed farm on the territory of the enterprise.
The products of the Agsu agro-park are aimed at meeting the needs of the domestic market. As part of the acquaintance with the agricultural park, an exchange of views with entrepreneurs on their needs and opportunities for exporting products was also held.
The SMBDA was established under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 28 December 2017. The agency’s objective is to support micro, small and medium businesses development in the country, strengthen role of small and medium businesses in the national economy, increase their competitiveness and contribution to the national development indicators, participate in protection of SMEs interests and problems resolution, facilitate SMEs institutional support mechanisms, coordinate activities of government agencies and private institutions in this area.
The agency provides government-to-business and business-to-business platform, performs coordinating, supervision, monitoring and evaluation functions.