ECONOMY
ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS WITH US AMBASSADOR
Heydar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Economic Development Minister, chairman of the commission on preparation for Azerbaijan’s WTO membership, met March 12 with US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Derse.
H. Babayev told of the President Ilham Aliyev-led economic reforms and accomplishments achieved, and said that Azerbaijan puts a special emphasis on economic relations with foreign countries and stepped up its efforts to join the WTO.
The Economic Development Ministry and the US Trade and Development Agency signed in 2002 a grant agreement on technical assistance for Azerbaijan’s WTO membership
In accordance with the agreement, implementation of the technical assistance project began in March 2003. The project was extended for two more years until September 2006. The project allowed doing a lot of work concerning WTO preparation.
However, the major issue is to improve the legislation. It necessary to use the services of foreign experts to bring the documents in line with WTO requirements. During the meeting, the sides discussed the possibility of providing technical assistance to meet these goals.
Ambassador expressed her satisfaction with the steps that Azerbaijan takes to improve business climate in the country, and stressed the possibility of providing a technical assistance to help Azerbaijan join the WTO.
The sides shared their views on expansion of economic relations between the two countries and possible technical assistance to improve the state program on the socio-economic development of regions.