Download Azerbaijan: Country snapshot

Azerbaijan: business outreach
Greece, Athens
02-03 April, 2009
Azerbaijan in figures - 2008
• Total population – 8,8 million
urban - 51,7%, rural – 48,3%
• GDP – 34,3 billion euros
• Growth rate - 10,8%
• Inflation rate – 15,4%
• Unemployment - 44,500 (1,03% of work force)
• Investments – 8,4 billion euros
• FDI – 2,9 billion euros
• HDI – 0,758 (ranked 97 out of 179)
Current economic reforms
• Doing business 2009 by the World Bank: Azerbaijan is No1
Reformer
• Azerbaijan is ranked 33 out of 181 economies
• Reformed areas: start-up, employing workers, registering
property getting credit, paying taxes, protecting investors
• One stop shop principle for the business registration
• Further reforms: one stop shop principle for the customs,
construction licensing
• Full report at http://www.doingbusiness.org/Documents/
CountryProfiles/AZE.pdf
Micro-finance sector in Azerbaijan
• No specific law regulating micro-finance sector
• Banks, non-banking credit organizations & credit unions
operate in the sector
• 80% of microfinance services are provided in rural Azerbaijan
• Women participation in microfinance services 28-30 %
• Some of non bank credit organizations in Azerbaijan also
provide micro-leasing (www.kredaqro.com) and mortgage
services (www.tbckredit.com).
• Total portfolio exceeding 376 mln. euros (December 2008)
• More than 300,000 active clients (December 2008)
• Azerbaijan Micro-finance Association – www.amfa.az
Tourism in Azerbaijan
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9 climatic zones
Good opportunities for eco- and rural tourism
More than 1,5 mln foreign tourists in 2008
Rapid growth of internal tourism
High prices on tourism services
Low competition
Key players: Improtex Group, ATA Holding,
Gilan Holding,
Tourist informational centers in Baku and 8
regions
Ongoing projects: ski resort in the North,
several seaside resorts close to Baku, rural
resorts in several regions, construction of some
high class hotels in Baku, “Wine route”
Agriculture in Azerbaijan
• Climatic opportunities to produce
wide range of products
• No taxes for agribusiness
(except for the land tax)
• Canned products, fresh fruits and
vegetables, hazelnut, tobacco, cotton
• Big export market - Russia, other
CIS countries, Europe
• Key players: Azersun Holding (foodstuff
production), MKT (cotton), MilkPro (milk
products), PalSud (milk products), Gilan Holding
(canned products, juices), Bakfem (hazelnut
processor)
Construction in Azerbaijan
• Baku - Georgian border road
modernization (“Silk Way” project,
total length – 405 km)
• North-South road (Russian border
– Baku - Iranian border) road
modernization (total length –
about 500 km)
• Construction of Olympic sports
complexes in the regions
• Government’s interested in an
investor to build a new cement
producing plant
• Key players: Caspian
Construction, Gilan Holding,
Pasha Holding, Akkord Group,
Azerbaijan Export and Investment
Foundation (AZPROMO)
• AZPROMO established in 2003 as a publicprivate initiative
• Objective - to contribute to achieving balanced
development of the economy and to implement
measures necessary for the attraction and
promotion of inflow of investments for creation of
new jobs, particularly in the rural regions
AZPROMO’s services (part I)
• Analysis of the investment climate;
• Cooperation with various stakeholders to
promote investments;
• Investor facilitation, aftercare and development
of existing foreign businesses;
• Prepare consolidated country reports for the
investors;
• Conferences, business meetings and forums
for investors;
AZPROMO’s services (part II)
• Studies of regional trade (export) opportunities;
• Assess legal regime for export;
• Consultancy services to the businesses willing to
export;
• Support to exporters in identifying potential
buyers;
• Trade fairs aimed at promotion of “Made in
Azerbaijan” trade brand internationally.
Contacts
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Global Compact Project
Hasan Huseynov, Project manager
(+994 12) 437 11 42
[email protected]
www.unglobalcompact.org
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AZPROMO
Najaf Guliyev, Business development manager
(+994 12) 598 01 47
[email protected]
www.azpromo.org