Baku, Azerbaijan, November 2
By Taleh Mursagulov - Trend:
Special attention is paid to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan, the Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Niyazi Safarov said November 2 during the international business forum in Baku dedicated to the development of small and medium-sized entrepreneurship in the Black Sea region.
Safarov noted that small and medium business plays an important role in development of the country's economy.
Azerbaijan also pays special attention to the development of SMEs and this is a priority area of activity, he said.
The deputy minister stressed that the development of SMEs in Azerbaijan is in the center of attention of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
In addition, Safarov noted that the main priorities of the economic policy of Azerbaijan are to ensure sustainable development of the economy, competitiveness and employment in the country, as well as to increase the export potential of local enterprises. The deputy minister said a large amount of work has been done in this direction.
“First of all, it is worth mentioning in this regard that the entrepreneurs have been exempted from inspections until 2021, also the list of types of entrepreneurial activities that require licensing has been greatly reduced, the electronic portal for licenses has been created, which allows for obtaining a license in electronic format," the deputy minister said.
"We apply the “single window” principle to issuance of the building permits, and all of these can be obtained in electronic format. In addition, there is the possibility of online customs filing when exporting goods, as well as the "green corridor" systems exist at customs checkpoints. In addition, we also contribute to improvement of the investment climate in Azerbaijan", Safarov said.
With regard to the development of SMEs in Azerbaijan, Safarov stressed that the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, the Mortgage Fund, as well as the SME Development Agency have been established in Azerbaijan.
Citing as an example the success of reforms carried out in Azerbaijan, Safarov noted that this is reflected in the latest "Doing Business" report of the World Bank.
Niyazi Safarov stressed that all these activities are implemented in Azerbaijan in the framework of the economic policy of the head of state.