ZCZC
BCN-24
RUSSIA-AZERBAIJAN-EXPORT-TRADE
Russia’s exports to Azerbaijan up 12.5% in 2018
MOSCOW, April 4, 2019 (BSS/TASS) – Exports from Russia to Azerbaijan
experienced a 12.5-percent increase in 2018, rising to $1.7 bln, while trade
turnover between the countries climbed 13.8% to $2.4 bln, according to the
files released by the Russian Export Center (REC).
“Azerbaijan is a modern, fast-paced country. That attracts Russian
companies to implement joint economic projects. Over 750 joint companies run
operations on Azerbaijan’s market, of which around 300 have 100% Russian
capital and more than 450 are in joint-venture format,” Director General of
the Russian Export Center Andrey Slepnev told TASS. Persistent efforts are
made towards economic diversification and development of joint productions,
he said. The establishment of the GAZ car assembly plant in Azerbaijan has
become one of the results. The foundation stone laying was held this February
for a new manufacture facility to produce commercial freight vehicles and
special-purpose machinery.
“We have created an efficient communication platform for Russian and
Azerbaijani companies. In 2018, REC supported Russian exports to Azerbaijan
totally worth around $284 mln,” Slepnev said.
REC’s representative office in Baku started operations in December 2017,
he noted. The government’s tasks include assistance to Russian exporters and
Azerbaijani consumers of Russian products in selection of relevant partners,
participation in exhibitions, fairs and business missions, helping along with
provision of financial and non-financial support to joint projects, as well
as on third markets, assistance in lifting emerging barriers for
implementation of joint projects and more.
On April 3-4, REC will hold a business mission in Baku, Russian Industry
and Trade Minister Denis Manturov will participate in the events. Signings
between four Russian companies and the Azerbaijani business are expected as
part of the upcoming mission: an agreement on cooperation and interaction
between Rostselmash and Sumgait Technologies Park, a memorandum on
cooperation between Transmashholding and Sumgait Technologies Park, a
memorandum of intent regarding fence systems implementation between AzOkso
and Service Invest and an agreement between AzOkso and State Agency of
Azerbaijan Automobile Roads.
Trade turnover structure
Russian exports to Azerbaijan was mainly represented by the following
commodity groups in 2018: food items and agricultural produce – $422.1 mln,
machinery, equipment and transport vehicles – $381.6 mln, metals and articles
made therefrom – $315.9 mln, timber, pulp and paper products – $238.1 mln, as
well as chemical products, rubber – $198 mln.
MORE/HR/1400
ZCZC
BCN-25
RUSSIA-AZERBAIJAN-EXPORT-TRADE 2 LAST MOSCOW
Meanwhile, Russia imported food items and agricultural produce worth
$526.1 mln, mineral commodities worth $103.6 mln, textile and articles made
therefrom, footwear worth $35.9 mln.
About single export support system
Earlier the Industry and Trade Ministry of the Russian Federation and REC
opened the first foreign office of the single export support system in
Mumbai. The single export support system suggests that big regional ‘hubs’ in
19 countries and local outlets in 33 countries should be set up. Meanwhile,
agent and partner chains will promote Russian goods on foreign markets of
over 100 countries, REC said. The plan is to launch the first seven pilot
points of presence of the export support group in the first half of 2019.
That infrastructure is being created as part of implementation of the
national project ‘International cooperation and export’ for guiding Russian
industrialists who plan to tap international markets. The single system will
ensure a common quality standard of providing products and services,
diversification of the Russian exports’ geography, the reach of more than 100
foreign countries and 85 Russian constituent entities. Currently activities
are being held to implement the plan of the ‘pilot’ launch of export support
groups in an array of countries (China, Germany, Turkey, India, Vietnam,
Uzbekistan, Singapore).
National projects
In compliance with the May decree by the president of the Russian
Federation of 2018, national projects in 12 areas have been worked out
(demography, culture, healthcare, education, housing and urban environment,
ecology, roads, labor efficiency and employment maintenance, science, digital
economy, small and medium-sized business, international cooperation and
export). They are planned to be implemented by 2024.
The budget of the national project ‘International cooperation and export’
for 2019-2024 amounts to 956.8 bln rubles ($14.5 bln). The national project
‘International cooperation and export’ consists of five projects of the
federal level: ‘Industrial export’, ‘Export of agriculture products’,
‘International trade logistics’, ‘Services export’ and ‘Systemic measures for
development of international cooperation and export’. On each of them, budget
financing is provided. The biggest financing is provided for federal projects
‘Industrial export’ (423.8 bln rubles, or $6.4 bln) and ‘Export of
agriculture products” (406.8 bln rubles, or $6.1 bln).
BSS/TASS/HR/1400