16:37 - 11.06.2026

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June 11, Fineko/abc.az. The Alat Free Economic Zone is developing as an export center, not as a local market.

ABC.AZ informs that Alat FEZ chairman of board Valeh Aleskerov said this at the Technovation forum, taking place in Baku on the topic "Sustainability & energy transformation".

"We are open to discussing potential projects with any investor, but we prefer the activities of enterprises in the Alat FEZ, which create higher added value and are engaged in export-oriented production. Export-oriented production means that at least 75% of the goods produced must be exported from the country. One of the main reasons for this is to prevent formation of small and medium-sized businesses in this zone that are focused on the local market, and to ensure that uneven competition does not arise between enterprises operating in the Alat FEZ and companies in the basic sector of country's economy. As enterprises operating in the free zone are exempt from taxes and customs duties, which gives them a competitive advantage, and this can create serious difficulties for local companies," he said.

In addition, Aleskerov pointed out that high-value-added production accelerates development of countries: "Sometimes our position on development of export-oriented production with high added value is criticized. However, the Irish experience shows how justified this approach is. In 1959, they created the Shannon Free Economic Zone and declared their readiness to attract enterprises operating in the field of highly profitable export production. At the same time, a significant part of the products made had to be exported.

Comparing modern Ireland with the Ireland of the 1960s, one can see that it is thanks to this export-oriented strategy that the country has reached a completely different level of business development."