Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan discuss labor, social protection cooperation

A meeting was held at the DOST Agency (Azerbaijan's one-stop social services agency) between Azerbaijan's Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Anar Aliyev and his Turkmen counterpart Muhammetseyit Sylapov.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population told Report that the Turkmen delegation, which is visiting Azerbaijan, first familiarized itself with services provided to citizens at Baku DOST Center No. 1. The guests were given presentations on the DOST concept and digital services applied in the social sphere.

Aliyev said that among the documents exchanged earlier in the day with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the labor and social protection ministries of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

According to the minister, the document will contribute to further expanding cooperation by creating a legal basis for regular dialogue, exchange of experience and the implementation of joint projects between the two bodies.

During the meeting, the sides emphasized the broad potential for exchanging experience in the modernization of social insurance systems, the digitalization of services, and vocational training and retraining programs. They also discussed cooperation opportunities in labor protection, social services, employment programs, the development of the pension system and support for vulnerable groups.

It was noted that a draft agreement on cooperation in pension provision between the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan has already been prepared.

Sylapov said important steps would continue to be taken to develop cooperation between the two countries. He stressed that the exchange of experience in social reforms is useful for both sides.

The meeting also discussed the contribution of the OIC Labor Center, based in Baku, to the development of ties among member states in labor, employment and social protection, as well as prospects for future cooperation between the two ministries.