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MUSAID President: Businessman needs stability, freedom and right to work â€“ INTERVIEW

MUSAID President: Businessman needs stability, freedom and right to work â€“ <font color=red>INTERVIEW </font>

12 October 2012 14:00 (UTC +04:00)

Istanbul. Ali Ahmadov - APA-Economics. President of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSAID) Nail Olpak gives interview to APA-Economics:

- Nail bey, will todayâ€™s event play a serious role in strengthening of relations between Islamic countries?

- Though the main slogan of todayâ€™s event is â€˜Combine your business with the Islamic Worldâ€™, representatives from other countries also took part in the event. That is, though the number of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is 57, the event was attended by 86 countries. That is why, we see this event not also as a business, but also combination of cultures.
- What do you think, are the economic ties between Islamic countries at satisfactory level?

- I think that the volume of trade between Islamic countries can increase more than once. Both Turkish leadership and MUSAID stated that trade potential between Islamic countries was higher than the current state. At present, the volume of trade between Islamic countries makes 17% of total foreign trade, whereas this figure must be 70%. For example, the volume of European domestic operations in foreign trade of the EU countries makes 60%. And Islamic countries can also achieve such figures.

- How can this goal be achieved?

- In order to achieve this goal, it is important to work more and increase the number of such events. Bringing together 5,000 businessmen from 86 countries is a good opportunity for entrepreneurs to discuss the cooperation. Currently, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation coordinates economic cooperation between Muslim countries.

- How do you estimate relation of MUSAID with Azerbaijan?

- There must be organized more mutual visits between the countries. As MUSAID, we widely cooperate with the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan (NCEA). Besides, MUSAID has a representation in Azerbaijan. We plan to deepen the cooperation with Azerbaijan.

- Over the last year, Muslim countries have seen major changes. How did the changes in democratic sphere impacted on development of business in these countries?

- What do business people need to work - stability, freedom and right, which are the basis of democracy. If there is problem in these areas in some country, then business atmosphere will not develop there and it will turn into a closed sphere. Therefore, in countries where democracy came, there are serious changes.

- On what basis do you say this? For example, compared to last yearâ€™s events, has the number of participants from Egypt and Tunisia increased?

- Of course, our last yearâ€™s exhibition was attended by 3,400 businessmen. But this year, their number climbed to 5,000, up 50%. This is the best evidence of development of business.