Pakistani companies eager to enter Azeri market

During the meeting held at the Azerbaijan National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Organizations (NCEO), the entrepreneurs of the two countries discussed the prospects of development of trade-economic relations. Alekper Mammadov, the President of the NCEO, informed the Pakistani entrepreneurs about favorable investment climate existing in the country and said that during the first half-year the GDP grew 16% as compared to 2004, while foreign trade of Azerbaijan comprised $2.8bn in 2004.

According to the President of the NCEO, only $1bn manats falls on the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. «There is big potential for increase of goods turnover between the two countries, but it is necessary to resolve definite problems,” he marked. The key problem is linked with the absence of direct flights between the two countries.

The Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Muhammad Hafiz, voiced the Pakistani businessmen’s intention for deepening the cooperation with Azerbaijan. The head of the two countries reaffirmed their intention for it during the mutual visits. There are a number of fields, including telecommunications, pharmaceutics and agriculture.

Pakistani delegation includes many entrepreneurs representing leading pharmaceutics companies of the country, which are eager to enter the Azerbaijani market. They are going to present their products in the local market.