A Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation regarding Azerbaijan's SME House model was signed between the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan within the framework of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Forum held in Astana.
The document was signed by Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of KOBİA, and Murat Karimsakov, Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan.
The Memorandum envisages cooperation on the possibilities of applying Azerbaijan's SME House model experience in Kazakhstan. According to the document, KOBİA will share its experience in the creation and organization of the activities of the SME House, which is a single-window service model for entrepreneurs, with the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan. For this purpose, it envisages the organization of trainings and visits, consulting support for the creation of the necessary legal framework, assistance in adapting the services provided in SME Houses to the needs of SMEs in Kazakhstan, as well as information exchange on projects aimed at developing support infrastructure, innovative and digital services for SMEs, etc.
Within the framework of the visit, KOBİA representatives also participated in the 3rd meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Council. Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of KOBİA, noted that the Business Council has become an important platform for expanding cooperation, experience, and partnership opportunities between entrepreneurs of the two countries, and that the Agency supports such platforms. It was stated that KOBİA supports the organization of business missions and meetings, and the implementation of joint projects with the participation of business people within the framework of the Business Council.
Additionally, KOBİA representatives met with Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). During the meeting held at CICA's new headquarters in Astana, the work carried out and planned activities within the framework of the Business Council during Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the organization were discussed. It should be noted that, according to the decision of the CICA Council of Ministers, Azerbaijan chairs the Conference in 2024-2026. Within the framework of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of CICA, the chairmanship of this organization's Business Council is carried out by KOBİA.