Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr I. Khalilova / International workshop dedicated to exchange of experience in privatization by member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) began in Baku on 6 June. Organizers of the event are the Secretariat of ECO and Azerbaijani State Committee on State Property Management (ASCSPM).
A representative of ECO Secretariat, Parviz Farzam, noted it would be expedient to expand cooperation in different economic fields among ECO countries. ECO is ready to assist privatization in these countries, what will intensify development of private business.
Deputy chairman of the ASCSPM, Rustam Shahbazov, reported that the investments in Azerbaijan had reached $1bln since the beginning of privatization (1996). Some $343mln has been invested to privatized state enterprises.
Over 38,000 small-scale enterprises have been privatized in Azerbaijan so far, 1,520 middle and large-scale enterprises have been turned to joint-stock companies.
"Although a special model has been formed in Azerbaijan within 12 years of privatization and is constantly developed, practice of privatization can be taken over from other countries," Shahbazov said.
The representatives of Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan will speak on privatization processes in their countries.
The implementation of Plan of Action on cooperation with ECO in privatization adopted in Teheran on 3-6 July, 2006 will be viewed on the first day of the workshop. On the second day, the attendees of the event will visit enterprises to get familiar with real results of privatization in Azerbaijan.
ECO with the headquarters in Teheran was founded in 1985 and united Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. In 1992, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan joint the organization.