BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 10. Dialogue with
transnational companies strengthens Azerbaijan as a reliable
partner on the global economic platform, political analyst Azer
Garayev told Trend.
Speaking about a meeting of President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce on February 9, led by Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President,
International Member Relations, and Senior Vice President, Middle
East and Türkiye, Garayev stated that in today's world, nations no
longer hold a pivotal position in influencing global economic and
political dynamics.
According to him, in recent decades, big players on the global
stage have amassed such clout that their choices ripple through the
economic plans, social priorities, and even the geopolitical scales
of individual nations.
The analyst emphasized that the corporations managed by the
company executives participating in the meeting are not only
producers of products and services but also actors that determine
global trends, create new rules, and become alternative power
centers for states.
"The annual turnover of these large transnational companies
exceeds the gross domestic product of medium and small states.
Their investment decisions can revitalize markets, increase
employment, and pave the way for technological breakthroughs, but
also deepen economic dependence between countries. In such a
reality, the interest of large international business structures in
any country is not an ordinary economic event but is evaluated as
an indicator of the place that that state holds in the global
system, its political stability, and its future prospects," he
explained.
Garayev said that it is not by chance that companies known
worldwide and leading global markets show interest in Azerbaijan.
The visit of representatives of such giant corporations as Apple,
Meta, Visa, Mastercard, BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Boeing, Honeywell,
Ericsson, J.P. Morgan, Marriott, and other leading corporations in
the fields of technology, energy, finance, industry, transport,
logistics, and services to Baku is considered an indicator of our
country's growing economic prestige and image as a reliable
partner. For these companies, market selection is measured not only
by economic profitability, but also by political stability, legal
environment, long-term forecasting, and strategic location, and
Azerbaijan has already strengthened its position on the global
business map according to these criteria.
The analyst noted that the meeting and extensive discussions
held by President Ilham Aliyev with the leaders of those companies
serve as confirmation of this reality.
"The vision of the head of state, which extends from energy
security to digital transformation, from artificial intelligence to
transport and logistics corridors, clearly reveals the economic
trajectory that Azerbaijan has chosen in the near and medium term.
This meeting is not only a discussion of existing cooperation but
is also considered a strategic step towards moving the country to
new economic horizons for the coming years.
Direct dialogue with the main players of global business and
coordination of their plans and interests at the state level should
be considered another successful step aimed at the global
development of the Azerbaijani economy. This approach is of great
importance both in terms of expanding investment flows and further
strengthening the country's role in regional and global economic
processes," he mentioned.
According to the analyst, such meetings, along with the ramping
up of similar interactions down the line, are seen as a piece of
the broader atmosphere of trust that Azerbaijan has cultivated on
the global stage.
"Discussions held on global economic platforms, positions voiced
in international forums, and the consistently demonstrated
political and economic line create the basis for the country to be
perceived as a predictable and responsible partner in
decision-making processes. The pragmatic position and institutional
continuity demonstrated by President Ilham Aliyev in international
dialogues play an important role in the formation of this
approach.
Azerbaijan's active participation in global economic dialogues
and a balanced attitude to regional processes allow presenting the
country's potential opportunities in a broader context. Within the
framework of the policy pursued under the leadership of President
Ilham Aliyev, the country acts as an initiative and constructive
party in international economic discussions. High-level business
contacts taking place against such a background are not limited
only to current cooperation issues but also serve as a platform for
assessing long-term economic prospects and demonstrate the
strengthening of Azerbaijan's position in the system of global
economic relations," he said.
Garayev pointed out that the above company leaders view
Azerbaijan as an attractive partner for stable, predictable, and
long-term cooperation.
"They expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the energy,
technology, finance, transport, and services sectors, noting the
favorable investment climate, institutional approach, and
developing economic agenda in the country. This approach
demonstrates that Azerbaijan is perceived as a reliable platform in
global business circles.
The ideas voiced by President Ilham Aliyev at the meeting
clearly revealed the main contours of Azerbaijan's economic
development model and its vision for the upcoming stage. The head
of state emphasized the country's role as a reliable partner in
energy security, the existing and planned energy potential, as well
as the potential of these opportunities to serve the development of
new areas such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence,
and data centers. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted that
Azerbaijan has become a favorable platform for global projects due
to its geographical location, developed transport and communication
infrastructure, and long-term and stable investment environment,"
he delineated.
The analyst pointed out that high-level connections with global
companies show that Azerbaijan is not content to rest on its
laurels with an economy reliant solely on current resources.
Instead, it has its eyes on the horizon, anticipating future global
trends and boldly moving ahead in a direction ripe for new forms of
collaboration.
Garayev also noted that the meeting on February 9, during which
President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Betsy Berns
Korn, Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations of the U.S., once again highlights
Azerbaijan's growing strategic role in the region. The fact that
parallel and balanced relations with major international actors
such as the U.S. and Israel are the subject of discussion shows
that the country is perceived as an important partner not only in
the regional but also in the broader security and cooperation
architecture.
"The ideas voiced during the meeting, especially the promotion
of peace in Azerbaijani-Armenian relations, the role of the U.S. in
this process, and the introduction of new regional connectivity
projects, demonstrate the sustainability and effectiveness of
Azerbaijan's foreign policy line, which is based on dialogue and
cooperation.
The messages voiced during both meetings promise the country
broad development opportunities in the international political and
economic sphere in the coming years. The current achievements
demonstrate the existence of the political will for the global
realization of the potential discussed during the meetings," the
analyst added.
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