Esen Fidanlik
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When the Nakhichevan Corridor opens, transportation from Turkey to Azerbaijan and other markets in the Caucasus, as well as the Turkish republics, will be facilitated by the Caspian country, allowing Ankara to trade much more comfortably with Baku, according to Turkish businessmen.
Mehmet Hilmi KaÄŸnıcı, Head of the Konya Province Branch of the Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MÃœSIAD), one of Turkey’s leading trade associations, made the statements when talking about Turkey’s trade. with Azerbaijan.
Kağnıcı reiterated that MÜSIAD organized the 25th International Business Forum (IBF) in Baku this year with a delegation of 33 people and more than 500 businessmen from the country.
Stating that they had the opportunity to meet businessmen from MÜSIAD and the business world from other Islamic countries at the forum, Kağnıcı said he visited Azerbaijan three years ago and that this time he had the opportunity to make a better comparison.
Interest in doing business with Turkey has grown further and the volume of trade between the two countries could increase exponentially, he said.
“Azerbaijan is a country with very serious potential for us. The main reason why our trade or exports with Azerbaijan are at low levels at the moment is the lack of a direct route between us. If the Nakhichevan corridor is opened, we will be able to reach both Azerbaijan and other Caucasian markets via Azerbaijan and our access to the Turkish republics will be easier. This corridor will allow us to have much more comfortable and advantageous exchanges, â€said KaÄŸnıcı.
The opening of the long closed Nakhichevan corridor between Azerbaijan and its southwestern autonomous enclave bordering Turkey came after 44 days of clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region which ended with a ceasefire brokered by Russia in November 2020.
After the war in the Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region that resulted in Azerbaijan’s victory, Baku and Yerevan signed an agreement on November 10 that allows Azerbaijan to create the corridor.
The transit road that will connect Azerbaijan and the enclave, located about 450 kilometers (279.62 miles) west of Baku and surrounded by Turkey, Iran and Armenia, has been described by the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as a “historic achievement”.
The Turkish businessman, claiming that there is a very solid political infrastructure for economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, noted that “Azerbaijani government officials and Azerbaijani people are very keen to increase the volume of trade with Turkey “.
Ties with the defense industry and political relations are already strong, Kağnıcı said, and businessmen are now expected to participate in the region.
“In terms of industrial development, we are more advanced than them. We must contribute to the development of our fraternal nation by providing the know-how at our disposal, â€he declared.
Stating that many businessmen from Konya operating in different industries such as metal, shoe manufacturing, durable housewares, textiles, agricultural machinery, agricultural products and construction industry participated in the early forum November, Kağnıcı said that they will also soon welcome a delegation from Azerbaijan.
The IBF was held this year under the slogan “Azerbaijan, the Pearl of Asia†and was organized by MÃœSIAD with the cooperation of a local partner, Azerbaijan Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (KOBIA), and with the support of trade. ministries and institutions of the two countries. The 25th edition of the event focused on Azerbaijan’s potential in several sectors, including tourism, agriculture, energy and health. In addition to some 550 Turkish companies and industry members, it brought together distinguished entrepreneurs from Canada, Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Russia and North Africa.
