Nov. 5
Azerbaijani and Bulgarian companies sign memorandums of understanding
Two tripartite memorandums of understanding have been signed at the Azerbaijani-Bulgarian Business Forum in Baku.
The Azerbaijani Azvirt has signed a memorandum with the Bulgarian Trace Group and Dinamic Resourse companies, while the local Caspian Service Company signed a memorandum with Dinamic Resourse and Biad companies.
Roughly 10 companies with Bulgarian capital work in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani entrepreneurs and companies, as well as representatives of 12 Bulgarian enterprises, including Bulgarian Construction Chamber, PST Holding, Euro Alliance Engineering and others attended the event.
Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister Lilyana Pavlova heads the delegation.
Deputy PM: Azerbaijani first satellite to be launched in early February 2013
Regional communication commonwealth (RCC) is expanding mutually beneficial cooperation between communication administrations in the field of networking and communication equipment, information technologies and governing the radio frequency spectrum, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov said at the 47th joint meeting of the council of heads of RCC communication administrations and 18th Coordination Council of the CIS member states for Informatization under the RCC.
He said that the organisation contributes to a fruitful cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union and the Universal Postal Union.
The Baku meeting of RCC heads of communication administrations will give a positive impetus to the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation of the member states.
SOCAR creates gas distributing company in Turkey
SOCAR Turkey Energy jointly with the Turkish gas company Çığ Enerji established the company SOCAR Gaz Ticareti AŞ for gas distribution on the domestic market of Turkey, the Haberturk newspaper reported.
According to the report, the company will distribute 700-800 million cubic meters of gas imported into Turkey from Azerbaijan.
International Internet Governance Forum opens in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is rapidly developing, as well as in the field of the Internet, Deputy Communication and IT Minister Elmir Valizade said at the opening of the Seventh International Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Baku.
"The Internet is a very fast dynamic for our country," he said. "The investments in this area are increasing year on year. While examining the figures of developing the Internet infrastructure, one can see that Azerbaijan holds one of the leading places in the region. The price for the Internet service is the same throughout the country and everyone has access."
He said that a good example is the number of mobile phones which exceed population numbers. These phones are also used to access the Internet.
He added that Azerbaijan is constantly decreasing prices on the internet and its infrastructure is rapidly growing.
"Our citizens have been able to use an electronic signature since 2011," he said. "This also facilitates the development of an electronic government. Currently, around 40 ministries are working with an electronic signature."
He also stressed that the Trans-Eurasian Information Superhighway project opens up great opportunities for Azerbaijan.
"The Republic is working to improve the situation with the Internet in the future," he said. "We have an absolutely free Internet. Every citizen is free to express an opinion on the Internet. Our government is fully focused to improve the situation in the future."
EBRD updates projections for economic growth in Azerbaijan
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has updated forecasts for economic growth in Azerbaijan, according to which the real GDP growth at the end of 2012 is expected to be two percent and forecast is three percent for 2013, the bank said.
Nabucco enters Environmental Impact Assessment approval procedure for Bulgarian section
The 422 km long Bulgarian section of the Nabucco pipeline has formally entered into the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Approval phase, the Nabucco National Company in the country announced on Monday.
According to the Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH report, the documentation relating to the EIA procedure was submitted to the Ministry of Environment in Bulgaria on 31 October 2012.
Nov.6 SOCAR, Botas and TPAO establish joint stock company for TANAP pipeline
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Turkish state companies Botas and TPAO signed an agreement on shareholders of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev told journalists.
He said in accordance with the signed agreement, the company TANAP Co was established in Turkey.
As Abdullayev said, it is planned to complete preparation of the main project on TANAP by 2013.
"The work is speedily underway," he said.
TANAP project envisages construction of a gas pipeline from Turkey's eastern border to the western border to transport gas from Azerbaijan's offshore Shah Deniz field to Europe.
Albanian Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy invited to visit Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev, being on an official visit to Albania, has invited his Albanian counterpart Edmond Haxhinasto to pay an official visit to Baku, Azerbaijani Embassy in Greece and Albania said.
During the visit Mustafayev met with Prime Minister Sali Berisha and a number of ministers and state officials. The meeting discussed the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Albania in the economic and trade fields, as well as opportunities of mutual investments.
The Albanian side stressed the importance of cooperation in the energy sphere.
The Azerbaijani delegation held a presentation of the economic and investment potential of Azerbaijan, while the Albanian side made a presentation on the investment opportunities in Albania.
Mustafayev visited the second largest city of Albania and major port of Durres.
Azerbaijani President and his spouse attend opening of Bakutel-2012 exhibition (PHOTO)
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the 18th Azerbaijan International Exhibition "Telecommunications and Information Technologies" (Bakutel 2012) in Baku on Nov. 6.
The Head of State and his spouse viewed the exhibition. After seeing the exposition, President Aliyev wished success to participants, and gave his instructions and recommendations.
The exhibition is attended by 160 companies from 23 countries. The exhibition features eight collective expositions, including national groups of Austria, Canada, Israel, France, Lithuania, Croatia and Estonia. Slovenian national group attends the exhibition for the first time this year.
The regular participants, including leading local and international IT companies, mobile operators, retailers, telecom operators, service companies make up 40 percent of the exhibition.
The exhibition includes such segments as telecommunications, broadband communication and technology, wireless communications, satellite communications and technology, broadcasting equipment and technologies, software and automation systems, IT and office technologies.
As before, the exhibition focuses on the aerospace industry, creating a system of satellites and personnel training.
One of the participants in this sector is a stand of Azerkosmos, which is preparing to launch Azerbaijan's first telecommunications satellite Azersat into orbit in 2013.
Azerbaijan's draft budget for 2013 recommended for consideration of Parliament
The draft state budget of Azerbaijan for 2013 is recommended for consideration of the Parliament. This decision was taken following the discussion of the draft state budget for 2012 and the next three years at a joint meeting of the five parliamentary committees.
According to the draft, the revenue of the state budget is projected at $19.154 billion manat (34.2 percent of GDP projected for 2013), expenses - 19.81 billion manat (35.2 percent of GDP).
Azerbaijan completes automating treasury operations
The treasury operations in Azerbaijan will be fully automated by late 2012, Azerbaijani Deputy Finance Minister Azer Bayramov said at the international workshop "Public Sector Accounting" in the "Pem PAL" program in Baku.
BINSA Council meeting participants adopt joint communiqué
Participants of the sixteenth council meeting of the Black Sea International Ship Owners Association (BINSA) in Baku have adopted a joint communiqué.
The meeting is held in Baku in November 5-8.
BINSA is an international non-governmental organisation working in the maritime industry. It has rich experience in organising the interaction of large shipping companies, developing organised structures and furthering good relations with the port, shipbuilding and ship repair organisations.
Nov.7 Azerbaijan confident in further growth of trade with ECO countries
Azerbaijan is confident in further growth of trade with the member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Deputy Minister of Economic Development Niyazi Safarov said at second meeting of the standing working group on economic studies of ECO in Baku.
He noted that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and ECO countries increased by 37.79 per cent in 2011.
Nov.8
IMF welcomes Azerbaijan's achievements in growth of non-oil revenues
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) welcomed Azerbaijan's achievements in the areas of growth in non-oil revenues, improve the efficiency of public spending and sustainable growth of the private non-oil sector, new head of the IMF mission to Azerbaijan Raja Al Marzugi said today during a meeting with the Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov in Baku, the ministry said.
Azerbaijani President inaugurates city polyclinic in Baku
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has opened the city polyclinic #14 in Ahmadli settlement of Khatai district in Baku.
The Head of State viewed photo stands reflecting previous and current look of the polyclinic.
Head of the Khatai executive authorities Razim Mammadov informed the President about the new three-storey building of the facility, that covers a total area of 3,6 thousand square meters.
President Ilham Aliyev cut a ribbon symbolizing the opening of the polyclinic, and toured the building.
A photo stand reflecting national leader Heydar Aliyev`s and President Ilham Aliyev`s care and attention to the development of healthcare in the country was installed in the foyer of the facility.
The polyclinic has functional diagnostics, therapy, pediatric, neurology and in-patient departments.
Then, resident of the district Gurbanali Alizade thanked the Head of State for his care and attention.
President Ilham Aliyev inspects redevelopment work at secondary school No 1 in Baku
Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 12 / Trend /
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has visited secondary school No 1 in Baku to inspect redevelopment work.
The school underwent a complete overhaul under the State Program for socio-economic development of Baku and its suburbs.
The Head of State viewed photos reflecting the facility`s look before and after the redevelopment. Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalybov told the President the school, which was built in 1870, was bought and redeveloped into a girls` school by philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev in 1897.
The two-storey school has 24 classrooms, and 700 pupils are studying here. Ten more classrooms will be built in the facility.
President Ilham Aliyev viewed the school.
Nov.9
Georgian PM, SOCAR President discuss cooperation issues
Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili and President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev discussed cooperation in the field of energy resources supply in Tbilisi on Friday.
The meeting, which was of an introductory character, was attended by Georgian Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Kakha Kaladze and Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili.