The 6th International Forum dedicated to the Role of Customs Administrations in promoting and facilitating trade among Silk Road countries was held in the Gafqaz Resorte Hotel of Gabala city on November 14-15.
The forum participants first commemorated the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and laid a wreath at his monument.
Issues concerning the facilitation of border crossing procedures, transit systems and customs-business cooperation were discussed during the forum. Productive discussions and useful sharing of experience took place at the event.
Speaking at the event were the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan lieutenant-general Aydin Aliyev, Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Hayati Yazici and Deputy Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of the Turkic Speaking States Gismat Gozalov.
Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the AR Aydin Aliyev emphasized that the international forum held in Azerbaijan for the second time would promote establishment of new relations between the countries in regard to customs and trade turnover growth. Stressing the importance of further discussions aimed at facilitation of trade and expansion of relations between the countries located on the Silk Road, the Chairman of the Committee spoke about a positive influence of the Silk Road as a historical trade route between the East and West on the economy and culture of countries and emphasized its significance.
Turkish Minister of Trade and Customs Hayati Yazici noted that as a continuation of the 5th international forum dedicated to this issue and held in Istanbul last year the Karvansaray project would support the trade between the Silk Road countries and facilitate trade. He noted that it was for the first time when the entrepreneurs were also invited to the forum.
The forum proceeded with sessions. Issues regarding the simplification of the customs border entry procedures between the Silk Road countries were discussed. Reports on framework standards of the World Customs Organization (integrated customs management) were presented. Addressing the event were Azerbaijan’s National Secretary in the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA and Regular Representative of the Permanent Secretariat Mr. Akif Mustafayev who spoke about “Opportunities and prospects of the Transport Corridor Europe Caucasus Asia (TRACECA)”, Deputy Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of the Turkic Speaking States Gismat Gozalov about “Initiatives of the Cooperation Council of the Turkic Speaking States”, representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Customs of Turkey Didem Dirlik about “Karvansaray project”, Onder Gochman about “General Transit”, Eser Chengel about “Transport corridor in OIC countries”, representative of the Asian Development Bank in Azerbaijan Olli Noroyono about “Facilitation of integrated trade”, Chief Expert of the Permanent Mission of the International Road Transport Union in Eurasia Mikhail Pokrovski about “Initiative of highway model – BANI project”, and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Integration Business Club (CEIBC) Telman Aliyev about “Development and prospects of the business-government dialogue within the framework of the Silk road”. The Gabala declaration was adopted following the outcomes of the forum.
Participating in the forum were also officials of customs services from 11 countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Serbia and Uzbekistan as well as 5 international organizations: the Asian Development Bank, the World Customs Organization, the International Road Transport Union, the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States and International Network of Customs Universities.
