US Assistant Secretary of Commerce touts green energy as "powerful opportunity" for Azerbaijan
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ECONOMICS  24 March 2023 - 10:30

The United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) welcomed Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arun Venkataraman and a group of USACC member companies at its Headquarters in Washington, DC.

The primary purpose was to discuss the US-Azerbaijani trade relations with business representatives to better understand the private sector's views before Venkataraman's expected visit to Azerbaijan in early April this year, USACC press service reports.

The meeting was attended by Boeing, SilkWay West Airlines, John Deere, Procter & Gamble, CNFA, WCC International, and Rabalon companies representing the technology, transport, and agriculture sectors.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Reza Vaziri and Executive Director of the USACC, Natig Bakhishov, started the meeting with opening remarks and expressed gratitude to Assistant Secretary and his delegation for coming and meeting with the USACC member companies before the upcoming trip to Azerbaijan.

Following the opening remarks, Assistant Secretary Venkataraman shared the details of his visit to Azerbaijan this April. The guest emphasized that there are wide opportunities for cooperation in green energy, the development of regional transport corridors, and digitization.

He stated, "Green energy is a powerful opportunity for Azerbaijan, and in addition to energy, the digitalization space is one that is ripe for much greater economic activity."

Considering the situation in the broader region, Assistant Secretary also underscored the significance of maintaining strong partnerships in the face of global challenges. 

"I think it is a critical time to put our arms around our partners and link up and demonstrate that we, of course, are committed for the long term," he said.

Bryan Lopp, the representative of the Boeing Company, spoke about successful business relations with Azerbaijan, especially SilkWay West Airlines, and said that Azerbaijan has established itself as a reliable trade partner. This was further emphasized by Fadi Nahas, the Vice President for the Americas of SilkWay West Airlines, who spoke about the successful cooperation of the company, including the past cooperation with the US Transportation Command in Afghanistan. He noted that Azerbaijan is a hub for a wide region in air transportation and said that Azerbaijan has all the necessary infrastructure for this.

Trade in agricultural technologies, know-how, and services was among the main topics that the roundtable participants shared their thoughts on.

After the discussions, Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arun Venkatamaran expressed his gratitude to the USACC and member companies for organizing such a meeting before his visit to Azerbaijan.

The USACC is proud to facilitate and promote mutually beneficial economic ties between the United States and Azerbaijan. The visit of Assistant Secretary Venkataraman to Azerbaijan underscores the importance of these ties and the potential for even greater collaboration in the future. 

"We are delighted to see such a strong commitment from Assistant Secretary Venkataraman to strengthening the economic partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan," said USACC Executive Director.

Caliber.Az