BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12. The Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Majnun Mammadov, met with a delegation led by the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mohamed Abdi Hayir, the ministry told Trend.
The Ministry noted that Mammadov briefed the delegation in detail about state support for the agrarian sector in Azerbaijan. He noted that thanks to the strong attention given by President Ilham Aliyev in recent years to the non-oil sector, agriculture in Azerbaijan has entered a new stage of development. The agricultural reforms implemented are aimed at the sector's growth, supported by comprehensive state measures.
Minister Mammadov emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev attaches special importance to strengthening cooperation with African countries, including Somalia, across various economic fields. He pointed out that agriculture stands out as one of the most promising areas for future collaboration and underlined the potential to increase trade turnover in agricultural products between the two countries. In this regard, he stressed the importance of establishing direct business contacts and exchanging information on high-export-potential products.
He also invited the Somali side to actively participate in and represent their country with a national pavilion at "Caspian Agro," the largest agricultural exhibition in the Caucasus, scheduled for a future edition. During the meeting, it was highlighted that Azerbaijan is ready to share its latest technologies and experiences in agriculture with Somalia. Additionally, Somali students were invited to pursue studies at the Azerbaijan State Agricultural University under scholarship programs.
In turn, the Somali Minister expressed his country’s interest in expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in all fields. He emphasized the broad potential for partnership in agriculture. Both parties expressed mutual interest in deepening agricultural cooperation.
During the bilateral meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of agriculture was signed between Azerbaijan and Somalia. The document was signed by Minister Majnun Mammadov on behalf of Azerbaijan and Minister Mohamed Abdi Hayir on behalf of Somalia.
The memorandum outlines key directions for future cooperation in agriculture. These include the establishment of a joint Working Group on agriculture, implementation of joint investment projects in priority areas of mutual interest, efficient use of agricultural lands, exchange of information on high-potential export products to boost trade turnover, digitalization in agriculture, sharing experience in agricultural insurance, developing and exchanging best practices in irrigation water management, exchange of scientific and technological innovations, organization of trainings and seminars, development of agricultural infrastructure, promotion of trade missions, and encouraging private sector participation in business events.
The meeting also included extensive discussions on other issues of mutual interest.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
