Press center

21.11.2022

Sergey Milushkin attended the Russia-Azerbaijan Interregional Forum

XI Russia-Azerbaijan Interregional Forum was held in Baku. The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov attended the event. The Governor of Astrakhan region Igor Babushkin headed the delegation from the Astrakhan Region. Director General of SEZ Lotus JSC Sergey Milushkin acted as a speaker at the round tables of the forum.

The participants discussed issues of investment cooperation, transport infrastructure, business activities, agricultural cooperation and deepening of humanitarian contacts.

Over the past 6 years Russia and Azerbaijan increased the bilateral trade turnover by 80% (from $1.9 to $3.4 billion). Russia ranks 3rd among foreign trade partners of Azerbaijan and 1st as an importer (the share of imports from Russia is 17.7% in 2021). This year the trade turnover has grown by more than 10%.

Mikhail Mishustin, addressing the audience at the forum, noted that Astrakhan Region has a special place among the Russian regions actively developing business contacts with their Azerbaijani colleagues. A great number of projects in the field of infrastructure, social sphere, cooperation of transport enterprises, joint forums in education, medicine and culture are implemented in Astrakhan. "Commercial shipping between Astrakhan and Azerbaijani ports is expanding. This direction is important for us and can create additional traffic on the International North-South Transport Corridor, which is very important, "- said the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

During his speech at the forum Igor Babushkin paid great attention to development of cargo transportation via the International North-South Transport Corridor. He offered the Azerbaijani partners to use the transport and logistics opportunities of the Astrakhan Region.

Director General of SEZ Lotus JSC Sergey Milushkin spoke about the work on the development of the Port SEZ in the Astrakhan Region, designed to become a major logistics hub in the Caspian region:

- Port SEZ in Astrakhan Region can be considered as the main Russian hub with favorable business conditions for the localization of trade and logistics centers for and other facilities for the Azerbaijani businesses in order to ensure the delivery and preservation of goods. For example, during peak periods of load on the railroad Azerbaijani fruit and vegetable products can be transported by the Caspian Sea through ports of Astrakhan. We are also ready to continue cooperation in expanding cooperation in shipbuilding and localization of Azerbaijani productions in the Industrial Production Special Economic Zone Lotus.