By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Turkiye have signed a memorandum of understanding in the social protection sector, Azernews reports.

The document was signed between Azerbaijan’s Labour and Social Security Minister Sahil Babayev with Turkish Family and Social Services Minister Derya Yanik, who is paying a visit to Azerbaijan.

The memorandum is aimed at developing social welfare projects for persons with disabilities, the elderly, children, women, war veterans, and martyrs’ families, as well as exchanging knowledge, experience, and improving services.

The signing occurred during the visit of the Turkish minister to the DOST Center (Agency for sustainable and operational social security). The member of the delegation familiarized themselves with the center and its service process. It was noted that DOST Centers provide citizens with 154 types of services in labor, employment, social security, disability, and other spheres.

“During the six months of the year, services of DOST Centers were used by 313,000 people, and by 500,000 people over the entire period of their activity,” the statement reads.

It was mentioned that by 2025 DOST services will cover the whole of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Turkiye collaborate in a variety of economic sectors and have completed major energy and infrastructure projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and TANAP.

The two countries set up a goal to bring the mutual trade turnover to $15 billion in 2023. As of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.6 billion. So far, Turkiye is Azerbaijan’s second-largest investor followed by the UK.