Asaf Hajiyev

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The International Black Sea – Rize-Ayder Forum on “Logistics and Transport in the Black Sea Region”, Rize-Ayder (Türkiye), 28-29 September 2024

The International Black Sea – Rize-Ayder Forum on “Logistics and Transport in the Black Sea Region” was held in Rize and Ayder on 28-29 September 2024. The Forum was attended by Mr. Irakli Mezurnishvili, Head of the PABSEC Georgian Delegation, Mr. Ramaz Nikolaishvili, PABSEC Vice-President, member of the PABSEC Georgian delegation, Ms. Blagica Lasovska, Head of the PABSEC Delegation of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. George Siscu, member of the PABSEC Romanian delegation, Mr. Fatih Donmez, PABSEC Vice-President, Head of the PABSEC Turkish Delegation, Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, and the members of the PABSEC International Secretariat.

On 27 September 2024, an inaugural press conference was held at the Governor’s Office of Rize with the participation of Mr. İhsan Selim Baydaş, Governor of Rize, Mr. Rahmi Metin, Mayor of Rize Municipality, Mr. Erol Aykut, President of the Bureaucrats and Businessmen Association of Rize (RIBİAD), Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, and Mr. Hakan Gültekin, President of the Eastern Black Sea Regional Development Administration of Türkiye (DOKAP). The participants noted the importance of the establishment of the International Black Sea – Rize-Ayder Forum, which will be held every year and will discuss the most topical issues of economic development.

The Opening Ceremony of the Forum took place on 28 September 2024 in the Conference Hall of the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University. The participants were addressed by Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Türkiye (video address), Mr. Hakan Gültekin, President of the Eastern Black Sea Regional Development Administration of Türkiye (DOKAP), Mr. Erol Aykut, President of the Bureaucrats and Businessmen Association of Rize (RIBİAD), Mr. Rahmi Metin, Mayor of Rize Municipality, Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, Mr. Harun Mertoğlu, MP from Rize, Mr. Hayati Yazici, Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party, Mr. Fatih Donmez, PABSEC Vice-President, Head of the PABSEC Turkish Delegation, Mr. İhsan Selim Baydaş, Governor of Rize, and Mr. Enver Iskurt, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye. The speakers noted the importance of the inaugural meeting of the Forum for its establishment as an important global economic forum in the future. It was emphasized that the use of logistics and transport centres in Rize Province, as well as the development of new infrastructure projects will contribute to strengthening economic cooperation in the Black Sea region.

Within the framework of the discussions dedicated to “Logistics and Transport in the Black Sea Region”, the speeches were made by: Mr. Irakli Mezurnishvili, Head of the PABSEC Georgian Delegation, Mr. George Siscu, member of the PABSEC Romanian delegation, Mr. Ryszard Czarnecki, Former Member of the European Parliament from Poland, Mr. Sergey Kravchenko, Project Manager in Transport of the BSEC PERMIS, Mr. Serhat Koksal, President of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, Mr. Mehmet Uyulukcu, Secretary General of the Union of International Road Transport Associations of the BSEC Member States, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tanyaş, Head of the International Trade and Logistics Department of Maltepe University, Ms. Kezban Ayran Cihan, Lecturer of the International Trade and Logistics Faculty of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University. The speakers presented their vision on strengthening the role of the transport infrastructure of the Rize Municipality within the economic development of the Black Sea region.

At the end of the Forum, the participants were presented with commemorative award plaques.

The Forum participants visited the Iyidere Logistics Center in Rize and got acquainted with its activities, as well as its transport, logistics and industrial potential.

On the same day, in the town of Ayder in the Çamlihemsin region, Mr. Fatih Dönmez, PABSEC Vice-President, Head of the PABSEC Turkish Delegation, officially presented the Joint Statement of the participants in the Forum.