Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received Baghdad Amreyev, the president of the Turkic Investment Fund in Budapest. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Ambassador János Hóvári, the Executive Head of the Representation Office of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Budapest also participated in the meeting. Péter Szijjártó also conducted separate talks with Baghdad Amreyevvel.
The Investment Fund will be the most important common financial institution of the OTS, the objective of which is to mobilize the economic potential of the member states – Azerbaijan, Kazakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, as well Hungary and Turkmenistan in their capacity of observers – and also to strengthen the cooperation in trade and the economy by implementing joint projects and investments. The Investment Fund of the Turkic states is starting its work with a capital of USD350, and its aim is to support the projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the first place. The Turkic Investment Fund provides Hungary with a monumental opportunity. It may greatly contribute to strengthening the cooperation in trade and the economy among the participating states by inducing new investments, stressed Péter Szijjártó after his talks with Baghdad Amreyev.
The significance of Central Asia has increased recently. The reason for that is – among others – the energy crisis in Europe. However, the region possesses an enormous potential for economic growth in its own right as well. The Foreign Minister pointed out that establishment of the Turkic Investment Fund offers Hungary tremendous opportunities, since in the course of the past ten years the volume of trade with the member countries of the OTS has reached USD4.5 billion which is two and a half times higher than before. “We believe that this Investment Fund will contribute to better utilizing the economic potential of the OTS countries, to strengthening cooperation in the field of trade and the economy, and will make the launching of further investments possible.”
Péter Szijjártó underlined that Hungary has opened an embassy in each Turkic state. From among the members of the OTS, – as the last one to do so – Uzbekistan has also announced that it will establish its diplomatic mission in Budapest. The Foreign Minister welcomed the fact that the Institute of Drought Prevention of the OTS will be set up in Budapest. This will provide the Central Asian countries, struggling with a shortage of water, to be acquainted with the water management technologies in Hungary.
During their talks in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó handed over the Middle Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary to Baghdad Amreyev.
