H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Orkhan MAMMADOV, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum, which took place in Baku on 8-9 October 2024.

The discussions focused on the accomplishments of the AZHAB Forum, which was co-organised by SESRIC and KOBİA, and explored ways to further advance the Halal sector in Azerbaijan and the OIC at large. H.E. SELÇUK provided an overview of SESRIC’s key initiatives and activities in statistics, research, and training, with a particular emphasis on the joint endeavours with KOBİA. Additionally, the meeting explored potential future events and activities aimed at empowering SMEs, commending the efforts of KOBİA and underscoring the importance of sharing the Agency’s good practices with their counterparts in the OIC countries.

H.E. MAMMADOV expressed his appreciation for the visit and acknowledged the support of SESRIC in the organisation of AZHAB Forum, highlighting the importance of leveraging the expertise between the two institutions considering their crucial roles in socioeconomic development. Furhtermore, he extended a warm invitation to H.E. SELÇUK as a guest panellist in an upcoming side event organised by his Agency during the 29^th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), to be organised in Baku on 11-22 November 2024.

The Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 28, 2017. The Agency leadership comprises 7 members of the Supervision Council. The Council consists of deputy ministers of Finance, Labor and Social Protection of Population, and Agriculture, representative of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as Deputy Chairman of the State Agency for Citizens’ Service and Social Innovation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers') Organizations of Azerbaijan. The Council is chaired by the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan.