A meeting was held between the Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), Vusal Gasimli, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov.

During the meeting, CAERC Executive Director Vusal Gasimli first provided information on the tensions along the Armenia–Azerbaijan contact line, provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces along the front line, as well as heavy artillery fire on settlements and civilians, and Azerbaijan’s counter-offensive operations. He noted that under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is taking adequate response measures, and that the Azerbaijani Army is defending and safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity on its own sovereign land.

The Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, in turn stated that his country supports the peaceful resolution of the conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and the protection of sovereign rights.

During the general discussions, Vusal Gasimli provided information on the new governance framework of economic policy and reforms implemented in Azerbaijan. He also noted that the activities of CAERC projects such as Azexport, EnterpriseAzerbaijan, the “One-Stop Shop” Export Support Center, and the Digital Trade Hub contribute to the development of relations with countries in the region and around the world.

The head of the Azexport portal, Ayxan Qadašov, provided information about the portal’s activities, noting that since the platform serves as a unified database of locally produced goods in Azerbaijan, entrepreneurs can showcase their products globally free of charge. He added that during the period of its operation, the presence of Azerbaijani products on international online trading platforms has increased 500-fold.

Ambassador Bahrom Ashrafkhanov thanked Vusal Gasimli once again for receiving him during a sensitive period for Azerbaijan. He stated that Uzbekistan is interested in learning Azerbaijan’s experience in developing transport-logistics systems and competitive, innovative trade relations.

The Ambassador also emphasized that the activities of the Azexport portal and the Digital Trade Hub have particularly attracted attention as examples of ongoing reform processes in the country. For this reason, Uzbekistan, through its Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, is interested in studying the experience of the Azexport portal.

During the discussions, it was also noted that cooperation will be established between the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication and the Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan, with the assistance of the Embassy. The Ambassador further noted that Uzbek information resources are also interested in publishing materials on Azerbaijan’s economic and innovation projects.

Ambassador Bahrom Ashrafkhanov also became acquainted with the activities of the “One-Stop Shop” Export Support Center.