Azerbaijan’s Trade Representative in Türkiye, Tamerlan Taghiyev, said Turkish companies are showing strong interest in investment opportunities in Nakhchivan and the Zangezur region, while projects aimed at exporting green energy from Azerbaijan to Türkiye are currently under evaluation.
Speaking to Azerbaijan’s Trend News Agency, Taghiyev noted that broader efforts to expand trade, investment and technological cooperation between the two countries are ongoing. He recalled that the Azerbaijan Trade Representation in Türkiye has been operating since 2023, with one of its main priorities being to attract Turkish entrepreneurs and investors to Azerbaijan.
“Our primary task is to encourage Turkish businesspeople and investors to come to Azerbaijan, establish businesses and invest here. Another key area is to promote Azerbaijani goods and services in Türkiye and ensure the use of appropriate channels for their sale. We also place great importance on facilitating technology transfer and strengthening cooperation in this field. Additionally, we are working to enable companies and entrepreneurs from both countries to engage in joint activities in third markets whenever possible,” Taghiyev said.
More Than 200 Turkish Businesspeople Visited Azerbaijan
According to Taghiyev, more than 30 Turkish business delegations have visited Azerbaijan so far.
“Within the framework of these missions, over 200 businesspeople have visited Azerbaijan. Some of them have already started operating in various sectors, while others are working on business plans with local partners or independently. We believe many will begin operations in the near future. For example, a Turkish company that came to Azerbaijan through our facilitation has already established a Turkish-capital company here and plans to offer innovative services,” he said.
Taghiyev also emphasized that the Trade Representation actively visits different regions of Türkiye. To date, delegations have traveled to more than 20 regions, holding meetings with businesspeople in cooperation with local chambers of commerce and industry. During these meetings, Azerbaijan’s investment opportunities, state incentive mechanisms and other advantages are presented, with particular emphasis on Karabakh and East Zangezur.
He underlined that Azerbaijan not only offers incentives but also provides concrete financial and partnership mechanisms.
“Institutions such as the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund (ABDF) offer both concessional loans and partnership mechanisms. This consistently attracts the interest of Turkish businesspeople, and some are already benefiting from these opportunities or planning to do so. Currently, every Turkish company that comes to Azerbaijan through us holds meetings with ABDF,” Taghiyev said.
Special Incentives for Nakhchivan
Taghiyev highlighted that Turkish entrepreneurs are also informed about the incentives and mechanisms available in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
He explained that Azerbaijan has free trade agreements with 10 countries, providing access to a market of 280 million people. In addition, Azerbaijan has Preferential Trade Agreements with Türkiye and Pakistan.
“Under these agreements, entrepreneurs can access these markets for the products specified. In other words, companies producing goods in Azerbaijan can export their products and services to these large markets without paying customs duties or taxes,” he said.
Taghiyev did not rule out the possibility of expanding the scope of the Preferential Trade Agreement between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
“The scope of the Preferential Trade Agreement can be expanded and new products can be added. The product list is compiled based on the priorities of each country and can be reviewed and extended. I would also like to note that negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between Türkiye and Azerbaijan are ongoing, and we hope this agreement will be finalized,” he added.
Strong Interest in Green Energy Projects
Taghiyev also spoke about cooperation between the two countries in renewable energy and energy exports.
“Significant achievements were made in the field of green energy during COP29, and Turkish businesspeople highly appreciated Azerbaijan’s role in this event. It is also known that COP31, where important discussions on the green transition will take place, will be held in Türkiye. Many companies in Türkiye operate in this field,” he said.
According to Taghiyev, several Turkish companies have submitted proposals to produce renewable energy in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and export it to Türkiye and other markets. These projects are currently under review, and there is also interest in similar projects in the Karabakh region.
Trade Volume Target of $15 Billion
The mutual trade volume between Azerbaijan and Türkiye is targeted to reach $15 billion. Taghiyev stressed that the Azerbaijan Trade Representation in Türkiye is actively fulfilling its responsibilities to achieve this goal.
Describing the Turkish market as highly developed and competitive, he said certain Azerbaijani products covered by the Preferential Trade Agreement have strong potential to compete successfully in Türkiye due to duty-free access.
He added that buyer delegations from Türkiye have also been organized, including businesspeople supplying major retail chains or interested in opening Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Türkiye.
“If there is sufficient interest, it is possible to open Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Türkiye, but Turkish entrepreneurs need to take the initiative. We are doing everything we can to encourage this interest,” Taghiyev said.
Zangezur Corridor to Boost Trade
Taghiyev also addressed the expected impact of the Zangezur corridor on bilateral trade relations.
“Once the Zangezur corridor is opened and becomes operational, the distance between Azerbaijan and Türkiye will be significantly reduced. This is extremely important because logistics play a major role in trade. Time, convenience and cost are critical factors. Logistics costs directly affect product prices and competitiveness,” he said.
He noted that after the corridor opens, trade is expected to gain much greater momentum. Taghiyev also pointed out that the Aghdam Industrial Park, which began operations a few years ago, has already reached a 70% occupancy rate, indicating that opportunities should be seized without delay.
Looking ahead to next year, Taghiyev said the Trade Representation is evaluating its activities and identifying priority areas.
“Türkiye’s regions are highly diverse in terms of both production and trade. Next year, we aim to visit more regions of Türkiye and promote the opportunities Azerbaijan offers. Organizing visits of Turkish businesspeople to Azerbaijan will remain our top responsibility. We plan to further expand cooperation with chambers of industry and commerce in Türkiye and hold more frequent meetings with companies that have export potential. At the same time, we aim to expand cooperation in technological solutions and implement other supportive measures,” he concluded.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök