A conference ‘Innovative Activities of Small and Medium Enterprises amidst Post-Pandemic Economic Growth Stabilisation’ organised by the SME Development Agency with the backing from the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking States (TurkPA) took place on 18 February.

 Members of the Milli Majlis and representatives of both the state and the private economic sectors took place in the conference to exchange opinions about the work being done in the country to promote the growth of the SMEs, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SMEs and the mitigatory state support extended to them as well as the priority areas to attend to in the period after the pandemic.

A member of the Milli Majlis Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising Committee and of the TURKPA delegation Agalar Valiyev spoke at the conference to underscore the special part in economic development played by small and medium businesses, saying also that the pandemic had affected the SMEs adversely in Azerbaijan just as it had done world-wide. The State is taking steps to support the SMEs aiming to minimise the harm done. The Milli Majlis continues the determined legislative activity about promotion of small and medium enterprising, according to Mr Valiyev who told the conference participants about that activity. The emergence of a new co-operation format for the organisers of this conference to benefit by and the discussions taking place at it will prop the relevant post-pandemic efforts of our country and of the fraternal Turkic states alike, according to Mr Valiyev.

The deputy chairman of the Milli Majlis Culture Committee and a member of the TURKPA delegation Fazil Mustafa took the floor at the session dedicated to the eponymic thematic of the conference. He highlit the modifications made by the Milli Majlis in the legislation concerning the SME who have an immense role plaid in the progress of the national economy in general and of its non-oil sector in particular. Mr Mustafa also stressed the need to continue making efforts to ensure furtherance of the co-operation between the state and the private sectors.

Then, the MP mentioned the positive model law-making experience of the Milli Majlis under the aegis of the TURKPA and pointed at the intense value of examining the analogous legislative experience of the brotherly states that are members of the Assembly.

The head of the Economic Legislation Department of the Milli Majlis Muhammad Bazigov tabled a report at the next conference session ‘The Legislative Measures to Counter the Pandemic and to Support the SMEs’.

Generally, those who climbed the rostrum during the event addressed the need to foster the growth of the small and medium enterprises in our country, shared views on the relevant work lying ahead and emphasised the importance of the conferences such as this one.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis