Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 13 / Trend A. Akhundov /
Azerbaijan is expected to increase the share of services in the GDP from 25.9 percent in 2011 to 38.5 percent in 2016, Azerbaijani Economic Development Minister Shahin Mustafayev said today while discussing the bill on the state budget for 2013 and the next three years in the parliament.
He said that the growth in the service sector in 2013 is expected to reach 10.7 percent and an average of 7.8 percent per year for the next three years.
"An average annual growth of 21.9 percent is expected to occur in the tourism sector in 2013-2016," he said. "The dynamic growth will continue in the field of communication and information technologies in the medium term prospect. This sector is expected to increase by 10.9 percent in 2013, in the next three years - an average of 10.1 percent, transport - by 6.9 and 6 percent, respectively, social and other services - 8.6 and 5.3 percent, trade - 13 and 9.3 percent."
He aid that the growth of non-oil sector in the medium term prospect will increase the exports of non-oil products.
"So, non-oil exports are expected to increase by 19.9 percent in 2013 and an average of 19.1 percent for the next three years," he said.
According to the forecasts, foreign trade surplus will amount to an average $ 16.1 billion per year in 2013-2016.