In the final leg of her regional visit, which included stops in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Director-General Okonjo-Iweala met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the impact of WTO accession. The discussions focused on how the accession process could help Azerbaijan leverage its growth potential, particularly in green energy, the digital economy, and logistical infrastructure connecting Europe and Asia.
The meeting was attended by Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy of Türkiye, Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Azerbaijan. Specific next steps for cooperation between the WTO and Azerbaijan to advance the accession process were also discussed.
Director-General Okonjo-Iweala also met with Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov alongside Ambassador Acarsoy to discuss preparations for the next Working Party meeting. She praised the efforts of Azerbaijan's technical team and urged them to maintain momentum from the 15th Working Party meeting last July, which restarted the accession process after a six-year pause.
At a conference held at Azerbaijan State University of Economics regarding Azerbaijan's WTO accession, Director-General Okonjo-Iweala delivered remarks. Rector Adalat Jalal Muradov opened the conference, with Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashirli and Ambassador Acarsoy also speaking about WTO accession opportunities for Azerbaijan.
“By joining the WTO, Azerbaijan will not only gain predictable access to new markets and opportunities but also contribute to shaping the global trading system,” said Director-General Okonjo-Iweala. She emphasized that Azerbaijan's strategic location at trade corridor intersections offers unique advantages and significant growth potential.
Azerbaijan is set to host COP29 in Baku this November. Director-General Okonjo-Iweala highlighted that trade is integral to addressing climate change challenges. She welcomed Azerbaijan's inclusion of a Trade and Investment Day and a Trade House/Pavilion at COP29. The WTO will collaborate with Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy on trade-related components for COP29, building on work from COP28 in Dubai.