June 19
Protocol signed on South-West corridor project
Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia, Ukraine and Poland signed a final protocol following the meeting on the South-West Transport Corridor project.
The protocol envisages expanding cooperation opportunities on the South West route in order to optimize cargo transportation and increase transit capacity.
Under the document, the coordination work between the five countries’ railways on the South-West corridor was assigned to Azerbaijan Railways CJSC.
The Coordination Committee, under which a working group will be created, will deal with the issues of strategic importance and prospects of the corridor development. The working group will be based in Tehran.
The South-West corridor is supposed to run from India to Europe through the Persian Gulf, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Black Sea. At an initial stage, it is planned to transport 10 million tons of cargo via this route with the possibility of increasing the transportation volume by several times in the future.
June 20
Azerbaijan announces intention to buy 4 B787-Dreamliner aircraft
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) announced its intention to purchase four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which are estimated at approximately $918 million, at the air show in Paris. Information about dates of order and delivery of the aircraft will be posted to Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website once finalized.
“The decision to order additional 787 Dreamliners represents significant growth opportunities for Azerbaijan Airlines,” said Jahangir Askerov, president of AZAL. “As one of the leading CIS carriers, we look forward to expanding our network with proven performance capabilities that the 787 provides.”
Azerbaijan, Latvia may boost Business Co-op Council’s creation
Azerbaijan and Latvia intend to boost creation of the Business Cooperation Council, according to the protocol of the 7th meeting of Azerbaijan-Latvia intergovernmental commission on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation held in Baku.
The creation of the Council is aimed at supporting and encouraging cooperation between the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers’) Organizations of Azerbaijan and the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, as well as supporting and encouraging trade and investments, according to the protocol.
Currently, the volume of trade between Azerbaijan and Latvia is less than its potential indicator, the protocol said. In this regard, the sides agreed on expanding trade turnover, encouraging investments and strengthening business cooperation, the protocol noted.
ADY: Azerbaijan ready to support China in cargo transportation
Azerbaijan is ready to provide any support to China in the cargo transportation through its territory, said Head of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) Javid Gurbanov in Baku at a meeting with Deputy Director General of Chengdu International Railway Services Co. Zhang Jing.
Zhang Jing, for his part, expressed interest in using transport corridors passing through Azerbaijan for delivering the Chinese goods to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and Georgia.
June 21
Ilham Aliyev receives former French PM
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received former Prime Minister of France, President of Villepin International Dominique de Villepin.
June 22
Ilham Aliyev: Important to give dynamics to relations with Moldova
It is important to give significant dynamics to bilateral relations with Moldova in order to make it possible to carry out activities, said Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev during his meeting with Moldovan President Igor Dodon in Baku. President Aliyev expressed confidence that the visit will be successful and important issues of bilateral relations will be discussed.
CBA changes lower limit of interest rate corridor on liquidity operations
The lower limit of the interest rate corridor on liquidity operations has been changed from 12 percent to 10 percent in accordance with the decision of the Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), the bank said in a message. The discount rate and the upper limit of the interest rate corridor remained unchanged, according to the message.
June 23
Ilham Aliyev opens revolver-type grenade launcher ammunition plant in Shirvan
President of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of a revolver-type grenade launcher ammunition plant in the city of Shirvan.
The plant of Sharg Production Union of the Ministry of Defense Industry will produce different types of ammunition for 40x46 mm MSGL 40 revolver-type grenade launcher.
EU to support pension reforms in Azerbaijan
The EU will support the reforms regarding the pension provision in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Salim Muslumov told reporters in Baku.
He made the remarks at the presentation of a new twinning project.
“The project consists of four components – creation of electronic audit to enhance supervision over the receipt of social payments, the use of European techniques in forming the budget of the State Social Protection Fund [of Azerbaijan], strategic planning and strengthening of workforce capacity,” Muslumov noted.
The project for the support of reforms in the Azerbaijani pension system will be implemented within two years.
It will be carried out by the EU, together with France’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue, as well as the French agency Expertise France.
India interested to enhance agricultural co-op with Azerbaijan
India is interested to enhance cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of agriculture, Indian Ambassador to Baku Sanjay Rana said, Indian Embassy said in a message.
He made such a statement at the meeting with five representatives of the Azerbaijan Rural Investment Project of the Agriculture Ministry who recently visited India to study India’s experience in livelihood and infrastructure development.
Rana offered to support a visit of Indian agricultural experts to Azerbaijan and participation of Azerbaijani professionals in fully funded training courses in India under the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC).