Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan ready to jointly develop port infrastructure
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are ready to expand cooperation in financing the projects aimed at the development of port infrastructure, through the joint investment fund, Kazinform News Agency reports.
During the 20th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission held on Tuesday in Astana, Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov and Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan Marat Karabayev discussed the opportunities of expanding the transit of Kazakh oil along various routes through Azerbaijan. Besides, both countries discussed the issue of establishment of a corridor for the export of ‘green energy’ from Central Asia to Europe.
Prior to the meeting of the Commission, the two countries’ ministers discussed the issues of expanding the range of export-import goods, priority projects in energy, investment, transport and logistics sectors.
As for the 20th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission, it focused on trade-economic cooperation issues, as well as the interaction in energy, transport, logistics, industry, construction, agriculture, healthcare, food security, space exploration, digitalization, IT, science, education, culture, youth policy, tourism, sport and ecology.
Parviz Shahbazov highlighted the importance of transit routes for the transportation of Kazakh oil via Azerbaijan, as well as joint efforts in using the potential of the Middle Corridor and laying the fiber-optic communication line along the Caspian Sea bottom.
The close cooperation within the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Council, the upcoming meeting of the Council and the initiatives to boost the trade and economic cooperation, including the attraction of Kazakh companies to the Alat Free Economic Zone in Azerbaijan, are expected to contribute to the improvement of these indicators.
The Commission also discussed the issues of establishment of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Investment Fund, joint production enterprises in industrial and technological parks, construction of a grain terminal in Alat Port, cooperation in shipbuilding and the opportunities for Kazakhstani companies in the projects in liberated territories of Azerbaijan.
The sides hailed the construction of the Kurmangazy Creative Development Center opened in Fizuli for 600 school students and the plans of construction of a hospital.
The meeting agenda also included the issue of cooperation in oil and gas sector, participation in joint projects, increasing the volume of Kazakh oil transit via different routes and stepping up freight traffic along the Middle Corridor.
As part of the Digital Silk Road project, both sides agreed to complete the construction of the underwater fiber optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea.
The sides also touched upon the issue of preparation for the process of technical and economic feasibility study of electricity transmission route from Central Asia to Europe. Both countries expressed readiness to cooperate in RES sector and energy efficiency issues. The meeting ended with signing a protocol. The next meeting of the Commission will be held in Baku in 2025.
