Date of meeting of Joint Commission between Azerbaijan and Czech Republic announced

The fifth session of the Joint Commission on Economic, Scientific-Technical and Cultural Cooperation between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan will take place on November 22 and November 23, 2021, in Prague.

"The current state of our bilateral economic cooperation is based primarily on oil trade. However, there are wide possibilities for the development of economic relations in other sectors whose potential has not yet been fulfilled," the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic said.

The ministry touched upon the expansion of ties between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic:

"The opening of a full-fledged Czech embassy in Azerbaijan has had a very positive impact on the quality of mutual economic relations between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan. The Baku office was opened in 2009, and since then, it has been providing Czech businesses with the necessary pro-export services.

"Another factor contributing to the development of mutual trade is the visits of leading Czech officials to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani officials to the Czech Republic. Of particular importance was the visit of the President of the Czech Republic to Baku in September 2015, the visit of the Speaker of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in March 2016 and May 2019, as well as regular visits at the level of the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Czech Republic, most recently former Minister Marta Nováková in September 2018.

"The Czech Republic is also a popular tourist destination for thousands of Azerbaijani travelers who head mainly to Prague, Karlovy Vary, and other spa towns. Prague and Baku were also connected in 2013 by a direct air route. In 2019, the direct route was operated only in the summer season (June-September), twice a week. It seems premature to speculate whether (and possibly when) it will be restored, mainly due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic."