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Regional economic cooperation took centre stage in Baku as the 28th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank was held alongside a Business Forum. The event brought together government officials, business leaders and experts from across the region.
President of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) Serhat Köksal praised Azerbaijan's economic development, describing the country as a strategic transport and logistics hub connecting Europe and Asia.
He also reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to supporting Azerbaijan's sustainable development through new investment projects and continued financial cooperation.
Speaking at the forum, Sahil Babayev said discussions centred on expanding transnational projects across the South Caucasus and Black Sea region.
He said priorities included strengthening support for transport corridors, advancing regional energy projects and increasing financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan and other member states.
During the annual meeting, the Board of Governors reviewed the Bank's performance in 2025, approved its financial statements and discussed the institution's budget for 2026.
The Board also confirmed that Bulgaria will host the 29th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in 2027.

Headquartered in Thessaloniki, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is the development finance institution of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
The bank finances public and private sector projects across its 11 member states through loans, guarantees, investments, credit lines and trade finance, with the aim of promoting regional economic growth and integration.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Spain has declared a national emergency and evacuated more than 10,000 people after uncontrolled wildfires reached the outskirts of Madrid. Emergency crews have rescued residents as multiple blazes continue to spread across the region.
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, during the first public town hall debate ahead of a decisive Security Council vote next week.
A new state agency wants the world to take Georgian food as seriously as Georgians already do.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have signed regional and commercial agreements worth more than 80 billion tenge ($146 million). The deals aim to expand cooperation between the two Central Asian neighbors in trade, transport, industry and cross-border development.
UN Secretary General António Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for the first trip to Syria by a serving United Nations' chief since 2009, before the start of a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
More than 100 Afghan business representatives travelled to Uzbekistan this week for a business forum aimed at expanding trade and investment, as Uzbek investors also expressed interest in Afghanistan’s mining sector.
Kazakhstan's grain sector faces a difficult season as drought reduces harvest prospects while mounting security risks in the Black Sea threaten to redirect cheaper Russian grain into Central Asian markets.
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