IOFS’S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN HAS STARTED WITH BILATERAL MEETINGS

IOFS’S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN HAS STARTED WITH BILATERAL MEETINGS
14 June 2022
On June 14, 2022 IOFS Director General HE Yerlan A. Baidaulet commenced an official visit to Baku, Azerbaijan. On the first day, the Director General was received by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Azerbaijan HE Serzhan O. Abdikarimov. The IOFS Director General during the meeting discussed key areas of IOFS’s latest developments, while the Ambassador introduced the achievements of bilateral Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan cooperation based on shared vital interests and values.
Aside from that Mr.Yerlan A.Baidaulet was engaged in the meeting held with the Advisor to the Executive Director of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan – AZPROMO, Mr.Tural Hajili and Leading Specialist Mr.Ahmad Ismailzad. AzPromo as a member of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) has the status of regional director for Central Asia. AzPromo was invited to join the IFPA to develop cooperation of local food enterprises, promote agri-food cluster development; increase the readiness of businesses to implement the food safety standards aligned with the OIC organizations Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, IsDB and ISDT.



Other meetings were held with Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Republic HE Mr.Sahib Mammadov. The overarching theme of the discussion was the country's economic achievements, state measures to support the private and agricultural sectors, and the establishment of special economic zones and industrial parks. State officials noted that Azerbaijan’s significant experience in achieving food self-sufficiency could be applied for setting feasible food security policies in a number of OIC countries.



The IOFS Director General introduce IOFS’s activities and provided a brief overview of IOFS Strategic Framework under the IOFS Vision 2031 emphasizing IOFS humanitarian programs, the Afghanistan Food Security Programme and “2022 IOFS Year of Africa” implementation plan. Other points included involving Azeri major food producers as AzerSun, and other agricultural unions for establishing bilateral cooperation.

On the same day, Mr. Yerlan Baidaulet held a meeting with the Chairman of the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mr. Goshgar Tahmazli. The Agency is a central executive body that fulfills legal regulation of food safety standards, risk assessment, official registration of food products and their packaging materials, issue of food safety certificates to exported food products, state control over food safety and protection of rights of food product consumers at all stages of the food supply chain.



After outlining common tasks, furthermore, parties expressed mutual commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.