Türkiye seeks free trade agreement with Azerbaijan

BAKU

Türkiye aims to establish a free trade agreement with Azerbaijan, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said on Dec. 23, as the two countries held a comprehensive investment forum in Baku.

“We are fully committed to pursuing much higher goals in economic and trade relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan,” Bolat told reporters during the forum in the Azerbaijani capital.

He noted the positive impact of the preferential trade agreement that came into force between the two countries in 2021.

“We aspire to conclude a free trade agreement with Azerbaijan. The technical teams of both governments are currently in discussions on this matter,” he added.

“They are conducting analyses and assessments. Hopefully, in due course, we will achieve this as well.”

His remarks came a day after Türkiye and Azerbaijan signed the 12th Joint Economic Commission protocol which includes a 110-point action plan covering fields such as energy, trade, investments and tourism.

The deal was signed by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov in Baku.

Recalling that the Shusha Declaration signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev on June 15, 2021, formally elevated relations to the level of a strategic alliance, Yılmaz said the current cooperation aims to contribute to the prosperity of the entire Turkic world by strengthening activities primarily under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

With this understanding, Yılmaz said the meetings provide a roadmap for producing concrete projects and moving confidently towards common economic goals, ensuring that cooperation translates into tangible results.