BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 20
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
As the UK becomes an independent trading nation, we are more free to trade and develop partnerships with Azerbaijan, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Baroness Emma Nicholson told Trend.
“We hope very much to take advantage of this opportunity and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement in January, saying that it wished to see our economic relations improved, was a welcome reflection of the UK’s own wishes.
“We can always do more to bring our entrepreneurs together. The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) ran a ‘Roadshow’ at the end of January, which took experts in Azerbaijan to meet British firms and investors in London, Oxford, Manchester and Coventry. In February, DIT and the Embassy led a large Health delegation to London and Oxford and a joint team from the British Embassy in Baku and SOCAR presented at UK Subsea in Aberdeen. This is typical of our intensive efforts to increase trade and investment in both directions.
“I am really looking forward to my own visit at the end of February at which I will be representing the Prime Minister at the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council. Later in the year we plan to hold a Ministerial Foreign Policy Dialogue – we have an important bilateral agenda to discuss including trade policy, as well as regional issues, where Azerbaijan has important insights. In the autumn our annual Joint Intergovernmental Commission talks will take place in Baku – another boost for our bilateral economic co-operation.
“I also hope to return to Baku in the autumn for what will be my seventh visit in this role. My work as trade envoy is deeply satisfying because I can assist our two independent nations to develop in partnership, while getting to know this beautiful country,” said Baroness Nicholson.
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