ANKARA: A delegation of the Turkish Eastern Black Sea Exporters Association will visit Azerbaijan and Georgia on May 2-6, said head of the association Ahmet Hamdi Gurdogan. He noted that this visit, supported by Turkey’s Ministry of Economy, is aimed at strengthening of trade ties between the countries, according to the association’s website.
“Although, Turkey’s trade ties with Azerbaijan and Georgia significantly increased in recent years, they have not achieved the desired level. In 2016, 13 percent of the total export of Turkey’s East Black Sea Region accounted for Georgia, while only 1.7 percent accounted for Azerbaijan, which does not reflect the real potential of the region,” Gurdogan said. He noted that export from the East Black Sea Region could account for at least half of Turkey’s total export to Azerbaijan and Georgia. Visit of the delegation of exporters and entrepreneurs to Azerbaijan and Georgia will contribute to the growth of export opportunities in the region, according to Gurdogan.
The Turkish delegation is expected to hold business meetings and research the local markets. Turkey’s Economy Ministry will provide funding for 60 percent of the delegation’s expenses during the visit. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to $2.3 billion in 2016, according to Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee.
