BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 21. As part of the visit to Spain by an Azerbaijani delegation led by First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev, discussions were held on strengthening joint activities in various economic sectors of the two countries, and a partnership "Roadmap" was adopted, TurkicWorld reports, citing the Ministry of Economy.
The visit included a Spanish-Azerbaijani roundtable, the Second Spanish-Azerbaijani Strategic Economic Dialogue, and meetings with Spanish officials.
The Spanish-Azerbaijani roundtable was held in Madrid. Representatives of government agencies and companies from both nations participated in the event.
First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to its relations with Spain. It was noted that there is significant potential for expanding joint activities with Spain in trade, investment, energy, the transport and logistics sector, agriculture, technology, innovation, and other areas. It is of utmost importance for our countries to translate this potential into tangible results. Information was also provided on Azerbaijan’s business environment. It was noted that the country has investment platforms in place that support trade, manufacturing, and logistics. In this context, attention was drawn to the opportunities created for investors in the Alat Free Economic Zone, industrial zones located near the Baku International Sea Trade Port, as well as in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions.
Spain’s Secretary of State for Trade, María Amparo López Senovilla, highly praised the development of bilateral economic relations and shared her views on expanding mutual investment and business ties.
At the roundtable, Inmaculada Riera i Reñé, Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Marta Blanco, Chair of the International Relations Commission of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations; and Ramiz Hasanov, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Spain, highlighted opportunities for expanding Azerbaijani-Spanish economic ties.
The event featured a presentation on Azerbaijan’s investment climate and business opportunities, as well as a discussion on strengthening the partnership.
The visit by the Azerbaijani delegation included the 2nd Strategic Economic Dialogue between Spain and Azerbaijan. The event highlighted that there are favorable opportunities to increase trade, expand investment flows, and strengthen cooperation in priority areas through the Economic Dialogue mechanism. At the same time, the importance of developing the partnership within a broader institutional framework in the future was noted. A Protocol on the 2nd meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Spain was signed at the event, and a Roadmap was adopted as an annex to the Protocol, providing for partnership in trade, investment, transport, and transit, and other areas.
At a meeting between First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev and Amparo López Senovilla, State Secretary for Trade of the Kingdom of Spain, the issues of increasing bilateral trade, expanding investment cooperation, strengthening ties between business communities, and other topics were discussed.
During discussions with Pedro Puy Fraga, Chairman of the Committee on Economy, Trade, and Digital Transformation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain, the contribution of interparliamentary relations to economic cooperation was highlighted. At the same time, information was presented on Azerbaijan’s role as a strategic logistics and energy hub in the region, its potential within the Middle Corridor, transport links, and investment prospects for Spanish companies.
The meeting was held with representatives of Spain’s Ministries of Digital Transformation, Transport and Sustainable Mobility, and Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. The meeting emphasized the importance of developing the digital economy, data-driven solutions in public administration, strengthening the innovation ecosystem, and exchanging expertise in the fields of transport logistics and food security.
In a meeting with Jaime Lillo López, Executive Director of the International Olive Council, the parties discussed Azerbaijan’s activity within the organization, the application of international standards in olive cultivation, technical cooperation, certification, expert support, and access for local producers to international markets.
