BSTDB Business Forum Highlights Azerbaijan’s Growing Role as a Regional Hub

Forum brings together public and private sector leaders to explore investment opportunities, regional connectivity and economic diversification

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) hosted its Business Forum in Baku under the theme "Connecting Markets, Diversifying Economies: Azerbaijan as a Regional Hub," bringing together senior representatives of government, international financial institutions, financial institutions and the private sector to explore practical opportunities for investment, regional connectivity and sustainable economic growth.

Held as part of the BSTDB Annual Meeting programme, the Forum focused on how stronger connectivity, diversified sources of finance and closer cooperation between the public and private sectors can support Azerbaijan's next phase of economic development and reinforce its role as a regional economic hub.

Opening the Forum, Minister Babayev noted that Azerbaijan places great importance on its partnership with the BSTDB and expressed the country's interest in further expanding cooperation, particularly in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He also underscored the vital role of domestic financial institutions and private investors in financing priority development areas, stressing that continued close collaboration among governments, international financial institutions, commercial banks, and the business community is essential to unlocking new opportunities.

Dr. Serhat Köksal, President of BSTDB, highlighted Azerbaijan's transformation into an increasingly important regional hub and reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to expanding its support for the country's private sector and long-term development.

"As Azerbaijan enters a new phase of development-one characterized by innovation, diversification, green transition and enhanced regional integration-BSTDB stands ready to deepen its engagement. We want to do more: more investments, more partnerships and more support for businesses seeking to expand, innovate and connect across borders," said Dr. Köksal.

The Forum featured a panel discussion on "Financing Azerbaijan's Next Growth Chapter: Diversification, Connectivity and Regional Value Chains," with representatives of the Government of Azerbaijan, the financial sector, private industry and BSTDB.

Discussions focused on strengthening Azerbaijan's export competitiveness, improving access to finance, supporting infrastructure development and expanding regional value chains to foster sustainable economic growth. Reflecting the Forum's focus on translating dialogue into concrete action, BSTDB also signed a financing agreement with Unibank to support lending to small and medium-sized enterprises in Azerbaijan, reinforcing the Bank's continued commitment to private sector development and financial inclusion.

The Forum concluded with business networking meetings between BSTDB representatives, financial institutions and private sector participants, creating opportunities to explore new partnerships and investment projects in Azerbaijan and across the Black Sea region.

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The BSTDB headquarters are in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. For information on BSTDB, visit https://www.bstdb.org.