Photo: Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikail Jabbarov at the opening ceremony

Note: from Azerbaijani “ Akromal ” is translated as “White Shawl”. It turns out that, as a matter of fact, Akromal has nothing to do with anything white and pure.

Relations between the two fraternal Turkic states have been developing dynamically not only since they gained independence, but since Soviet times. Baku and Tashkent have always been friends, as the famous film says, “not only with houses, but also with families.” The late leaders of the republic, Heydar Aliyev and Sharof Rashidov, were united by personal friendship.

Likewise, the head of Azerbaijan was united by friendship with President Islam Karimov. This sincerity in relations was and is shared by the ties between the Azerbaijani and Uzbek peoples in our time.

In the modern era, consistency and the desire to strengthen and expand cooperation in Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations are also supported by the current heads of state of the two countries – Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev and Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev.

It is appropriate to recall the very successful and productive visit of I. Aliyev to Tashkent in June last year, 2022. It was noted that in 2021 the volume of bilateral trade turnover increased by 42%, and in 2022 by another 52%. The parties agreed to take measures to form a product range and increase mutual supplies of products, concluding long-term trade contracts for the mutual supply of fruits and vegetables, food, textiles, leather and footwear products to the trading networks of the two countries. Mutual interest was confirmed in accelerating the creation of the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Fund, as well as in developing the financial and technical aspects of 5 major projects worth over $700 million.

During the visit, a substantial package of documents worth more than $500 million was signed.

In August of 2023, a return visit of the President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev to Baku was carried out. Visit was in deed a successful one. The head of Uzbekistan, accompanied by the leader of Azerbaijan, opened a school for 940 places in the liberated city of Fizuli named after Uzbek stateman of Middle Ages –  Mirzo Ulugbek.

This is the first such facility built in Karabakh by a foreign state as a gift to the fraternal Azerbaijani people.

However, the question arises: what does the “turbidity” of “Akromal ” have to do with it and how did it manage to “inherit” so negatively in Azerbaijani-Uzbek trade and economic relations!?

But the point is this: in 2020, “Akromal” signed a contract with the Uzbek state foreign trade company “Uztrade”, under which it received textile products worth almost $1.3 million from a number of manufacturing factories in Uzbekistan. To date, we have paid for the supplied products only a little over $900 thousand. The unpaid debt is almost $400 thousand. By the way, “Uztrade” is a 100% state-owned company and is part of the structure of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan (formerly the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations).

After repeated requests from the Uzbek company, “Akromal” confirmed its debt in writing in February 2022 and promised to repay its debt by July 1, 2022. However, things are still there. Director Gasan or Hasan Sharipov does not pick up the phone, does not answer letters, throws out appeals, including appeals from Azerbaijani government bodies, the mayor’s office of Baku and the executive administration of the Nasimi district, where the huge shopping center and “Akromal” warehouse terminals are located on Seyid Jafar Pishevari Street 2 A., almost in the very heart of Baku.

And what about Hasan Muallem!? He doesn’t care that Uzbek businessmen will judge the integrity of Azerbaijani business representatives by his, Hasan Sharipov’s behavior. Hasan Muallem, apparently, is accustomed to saying, “Go away, see you later” as our Talysh fellow countrymen sing in their famous song.

By the way, in the “Akromal” shopping center on Seyid Jafar Pishevari Street there is also a trading platform – “Uzbek Bazaar”. This brand “Uzbek Bazaar” is also opened by “Akromal” in several other shopping centers in Baku. Apparently, his business with the Uzbeks is still going well.

As for the Uzbek partners represented by “Uztrade”, the financial and customs authorities of Uzbekistan imposed huge fines and penalties on them due to receivables unpaid by the Azerbaijani company. In fact, the company is currently deprived of the opportunity to carry out mutual settlements and engage in foreign trade activities.

But this company “Uztrade” alone could increase mutual trade turnover by $50 million over the past couple of years! And how many businessmen from Uzbekistan, having heard about this problem, were afraid to do business with potential partners from the Republic of Azerbaijan!?

It probably makes sense to learn from Hasan Muallem (since those around him address him as “muallem” – teacher) how to “screw” their trading partners. It doesn’t matter that they are from a fraternal Turkic country, which has always helped and is currently helping, after the Second Patriotic Karabakh War, in the restoration of the destroyed Azerbaijani regions. He “owns his own shirt – closer to his body”,  despite the fact that he is a multimillionaire and a very rich Baku businessman. Or, can we already talk about him as a “murky” businessman poisoning Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations? And who will want to deal with him further if they find out about this case, and probably about many other similar cases?

It seems that it makes sense for the relevant Azerbaijani government bodies to remove this irritant from the agenda and pay attention to this problem, so as not to further complicate the mutually beneficial cooperation between Baku and Tashkent.

It is already July of 2024! Wow, no sound and more comes either from “Akromal” or supervisory government authorities in Baku. One might think, that Azeri side not interested in not only finding solution to the debt arrears of azeri company to Uzbekistani state trade entity “Uztrade”, or in further development and expansion Azeri-Uzbek mutual trade.

My friends in Tashkent shrug their shoulders and are perplexed at this position of the Azerbaijani government. Is it really that half a million dollars from some scoundrel G. Sharipov and the Akromal office is more important for them than the prospect of increasing mutual trade in the largest state of Central Asia – Uzbekistan, the largest market with its 37 million population, which is almost 4 times more than in Azerbaijan. Submissions from third-level clerks will not help here.

Tashkent has а lot of foreign partners to trade with. Just look at the visits of government leaders over the past two months: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim May 16-19 this year; Russian President V. Putin May 26-28 this year; President of South Korea Yun Seok Yeol June 13-15 this year and the President of Mongolia on June 23-25 ​​this year. The total trade turnover with these states exceeded more than $12 billion at the end of 2023, I repeat, 12 billion dollars. And total trade is $62,6 billions.

And with Azerbaijan – the results of 6 months of 2023, a total of $84.6 million, and 2022 – $181.2 million. And it will not reach $200 million. And why: and all because of such Hasan Sharipovs and “Akromals”, who are ready to sacrifice the interests of Azerbaijan because of their “penny”, which, as you know, is closer to the body. “Uztrade” is one of the main foreign trade companies of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, by the way, and it has not traded with Azerbaijan for 4 years because of Hasan Sharipov. With such “Akromols”, Azerbaijani-Uzbek trade will not go far and will revolve around the figure “plus” – “minus” 200 million dollars. It is necessary to draw conclusions and make the right decisions, dear Azerbaijani responsible state nazirs and vizirs, and as soon as possible.

For contacts: mininant70@mail.ru

Namik Akhmadov, financial analyst and publicist, Baku