BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. Azerbaijan offers
investors broad opportunities to implement export-oriented projects
in the Alat Free Economic Zone, which operates under a special
legal regime and provides tax and customs incentives, Azerbaijan’s
Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, Trend's correspondent reports from the
event.
He made the remarks at the Azerbaijan-Slovakia Business Forum in
Baku.
"I would particularly like to highlight the Alat Free Economic
Zone (AFEZ), which is the flagship of Azerbaijan's industrial zone
policy. The zone is designed primarily for export-oriented
manufacturing and access to regional and international markets.
AFEZ is located approximately 50–55 kilometers from Baku. By the
middle of next year, a modern international airport within the zone
is expected to become operational. Together with its transport
infrastructure, the zone will serve as a key logistics hub linking
Central Asia, China, the Black Sea region, Türkiye, Europe, and
vice versa," he said.
The minister recalled that the status of the Alat Free Economic
Zone is enshrined in Azerbaijan’s constitutional law.
He noted that, with the exception of criminal legislation,
investors may choose the legal jurisdiction they prefer, creating
additional advantages for doing business.
Jabbarov emphasized that companies targeting not only the
Azerbaijani market but also the broader region can leverage the
potential of the Alat Free Economic Zone as a natural transport hub
along the Middle Corridor, connecting East and West.
According to him, the Azerbaijani government also provides
investors with financial incentives. In particular, companies
operating in the Alat Free Economic Zone benefit from a zero tax
rate and exemption from customs duties. Similar incentives are
available in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories and in
Nakhchivan.
