This week, a working group of the Azerbaijan-Israel intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation visited Israel. The commission was established in December 2016 by the decision of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister to Baku. From the Azerbaijani side, the commission is headed by Minister of Taxes Mikayil Jabbarov, while from the Israeli side by Minister of Ecology, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ze'ev Elkin. The first meeting of the intergovernmental commission was held in May 2018 in Jerusalem.
The first working group that visited Israel earlier this week included head of the Ministry of Taxes Nazim Samedov; Vice-President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Ibrahim Guliyev; rector of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University Mustafa Babanli; Executive Director of the Azerbaijan-French University (UFAZ) Vazeh Askerov; Deputy Director General of the Baku International Sea Trade Port Farid Akhmedov; Head of the Ministry of Economy's mobilization preparedness division Bahruz Mamedov; Deputy Director of Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park Fuad Panahov; Head of International Relations division, Ministry of Taxes Farid Hajiyev; an employee at the International Relations division of the Ministry of Taxes Esmira Mamedova.
The program of the delegation's meetings and talks was busy and fruitful, and, of course, they visited Ma'alot-Tarshiha, one of the most northern cities of Israel, whose mayor, where Baku native Arkady Pomeranets was elected mayor of the city in the most recent municipal elections.
Besides the mayor, the guests were welcomed by head of the Israel-Azerbaijan International Association AzIz Lev Spivak, deputy mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha Hemed Naim, member of the city council Nahle Tanus, member of the city council Shimon Biton, director general of the municipality Amit Levin, heads of divisions and departments of the municipality and public representatives.
They showed the guests their town, told about its history and development prospects. During the panel discussion, the opportunities for further mutually beneficial cooperation in preschool education and higher education, tourism and industry were discussed.
The meeting was followed by musical performances by the city conservatory's youth orchestra conducted by Gadi Bar Oz.
