Tbilisi, November 29, AZERTAC

The two-day Silk Road Forum has kicked off in Tbilisi bringing together 1000 delegates from 50 countries, including Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan`s delegation includes Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov, Head of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC Rauf Veliyev.

The forum opened with a welcome speech by Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who highlighted Georgia’s strategically important location on the crossroads of East and West and its role as a connecting link of cultures and economies. Kvirikashvili expressed his confidence that after the conference other countries will also be actively engaged in restoration and development of historical Silk Road.

The prime ministers of Ukraine and Moldova and the deputy prime minister of Slovenia also take part in the conference for the first time.

The forum aims to establish a platform for an annual high level meeting where interested parties can get together and explore opportunities, align visions and enhance bilateral partnerships in four main areas of cooperation: transport, energy, trade and business-to-business contacts.

The forum will feature addresses by distinguished keynote speakers and give business executives and policymakers an opportunity to share their views, experiences and expertise on how to reestablish the historic Silk Road to reinvigorate trade with Asia. The event will also focus on the implementation of two major regional oil and gas projects, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project.

Khatai Azizov

Special correspondent