Baku, Azerbaijan, September 24 / Trend , N.Ismayilova /
The Azerbaijani-Czech business forum in Baku was attended by about 40 Czech entrepreneurs from the spheres of transport, industry, construction and financial sectors and tourism, and about 100 Azerbaijani businessmen.
"Azerbaijan is a leading economic center in the region, over recent eight months, the GDP grew by five percent, the industrial sector - 6.8 percent, per capita income - 12.6 percent, inflation was 2.6 percent," Minister of Economic Development of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said making a speech during the forum.
"The mutual visits and signed agreements between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic will become a base for further development of relations between countries," said the minister.
According to him, work is carried out to conclude agreements on investment protection, mutual economic and scientific-technical cooperation.
Azerbaijan-Czech business forum is organized within the visit of the Chairman of the Czech Senate Premysl Sobotka to Baku.
"The forum is a good opportunity to discuss future projects. The trade relations between the two countries should further deepen and expand," said Sobotka.
First Azerbaijani-Czech business forum was held in July last year during the then Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Karel Schwarzenberg's visit to Azerbaijan.
According to Azerbaijani statistics, during January-July 2009 trade turnover between the countries amounted to $11.59 million. In the Czech Republic mainly are purchased equipment for road construction, metal, chemical products. Azerbaijan's non-oil exports are mainly agricultural products, particularly walnuts.
According to the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Karel Schwarzenberg, who headed the Czech business delegation last year, the Azerbaijani energy resources cover 1/10 of the needs of the Czech Republic. In his view, in addition to business contacts, the forum will allow establishing higher forms of cooperation - realization of investment projects, joint ventures and the cooperation of scientific-research teams.
He believes that after the Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004, its capacity increased in the export of equipment for the production of building materials, railway and urban transport, engineering and manufacturing industries.
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