BAKU, SEPT 12 /DNA/ – The Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (APJCCI) and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of Azerbaijan (KOBIA) have agreed to promote SME cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
A delegation led by APJCCI Patron-in-Chief Ahsan Bakhtawari met with KOBIA Chairman Orkhan Mammadov. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Qasim Moinuddin, was also present on the occasion. During the meeting, both sides discussed exploring opportunities for collaboration in the SME sector between the two countries.
Welcoming the delegation, KOBIA Chairman Orkhan Mammadov said that APJCCI serves as an effective platform for strengthening economic relations between the two countries. He identified agriculture, tourism, pharmaceuticals, IT, food processing, and construction as promising sectors for cooperation. He invited Pakistani businessmen to participate in the upcoming “Halal Business Forum” scheduled for October and informed that KOBIA will also send an Azerbaijani delegation to Pakistan later this year to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in various sectors.
He added that KOBIA’s SME Friend Service Centers are providing entrepreneurs with services related to registration, licensing, taxation, customs, and consultancy to further facilitate business activities.
Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari stated that more than 50% of Pakistan’s GDP comes from the SME sector, which is why establishing strong linkages between Pakistani and Azerbaijani SMEs is the need of the hour. He appreciated KOBIA’s one-stop services, which simplify business registration and operational procedures through its SME Friend Service Centers, and urged Pakistani entrepreneurs to fully benefit from these facilities.
He emphasized that KOBIA’s support is essential for understanding Azerbaijan’s business setup, taxation system, and import regulations, and noted that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries could significantly boost bilateral trade. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Qasim Moinuddin, termed Azerbaijan an important destination for Pakistani trade and investment and said that regulatory understanding and business delegations can further enhance bilateral relations.
He appreciated KOBIA’s business facilitation services and stressed the need to review the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to include a wider range of bilateral trade items. Babak Huseynli, Trade Facilitation Coordinator for Pakistan–Azerbaijan, emphasized the importance of connecting entrepreneurs from both countries and noted that Azerbaijan has the potential to become a major market for Pakistani exports.
Naima Ansari, Senior Vice President of APJCCI, termed the meeting highly productive and said that this initiative, with KOBIA’s support, will help establish linkages across various sectors. Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Industry, Nadeem Akhtar, stated that setting up display centers in both countries could help enhance bilateral trade volume.
