The first SMB House in the service of entrepreneurs

The first Small and Medium Business House (SMB House) was launched on 7 February in Khachmaz. To this end, the event was held with the attendance of relevant government agencies, entrepreneurs operating in Guba-Khachmaz economic region and media representatives.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov emphasized that increasing the role of entrepreneurship to ensure sustainable economic development in Azerbaijan, especially the transformation of small and medium businesses into a key driving factor is one of the priorities of economic reforms under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. At the conference dedicated to the results of the first year of implementation of the "State Program on Socio-Economic Development of Regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2019-2023", the Minister noted that the head of state has set new goals for the development of small and medium businesses, as well as formation of the main part of GDP by this sector in the medium term, and increase of the share of employment. Establishment of SMB House and SMB Development Center in Khachmaz as an extension of state support measures provided for SMBs is a convenient platform for providing entrepreneurs with easy, unobstructed and transparent access to services.

Elnur Rzayev, Head of Khachmaz Region Executive Power, stressed the importance of the SMB House in facilitating the work of entrepreneurs in Khachmaz and surrounding regions, promoting the development of small and medium businesses and the establishment of new SMBs, and more complete realization of the economic potential of the region.

Later on, a presentation delivered by Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of Small and Medium Business Development Agency highlighted that SME is a unique location where government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business ("B2B") services are provided for business entities based on modern innovation, in line with the principles of efficiency, courtesy and comfort. It was reported that SMB House will provide support to entrepreneurs in launching of startup projects, developing business and marketing plans, improving business knowledge, registering entrepreneurial activity, obtaining licenses, accessing to financial resources, bookkeeping, import-export clearance, access to logistics and infrastructure networks, internal and external markets, export promotion and other areas. In total, approximately 200 "G2B" and 100 "B2B" services will be provided at the SMB House at the initial stage. The service offices, meeting rooms, and conference halls will also function here.

The SME Development Center will support micro, small and medium-sized businesses in the realization of business ideas through a wide range of advisory and training services.

Speaking at the event, the entrepreneurs expressed their gratitude to the President for the favorable conditions for private sector development, emphasizing the role of the SMB House in their activities.

Then films were shown featuring SMB House and SMBDA activities.

On the same day, a meeting of the Supervisory Council of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency was held at Khachmaz SMB House.

A meeting chaired by the Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, Chairman of the Supervisory Council, was attended by members of the Council - Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of Taxes, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, the Ministry of Agriculture, Deputy Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations.

The meeting dealt with and reported on the activities of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency in 2019, as well as the planned activities for 2020.