Within the framework of the conference on "The Role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Green Economy," two panel sessions were organized.
The conference on "The Role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Green Economy," organized by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency with the support of the Ministries of Economy, Ecology, and Natural Resources, continued with panel discussions.
At the panel discussion on "The Necessity of SMEs Transitioning to a Green Economy," speakers provided insights into various topics, including the state's priorities in promoting green economic development, the impact of carbon footprint indicators on exports, and the role of partnerships in renewable energy to enhance SME potential. Participants included Huseyn Huseynov, Head of the Sustainable Development and Social Policy Department at the Ministry of Economy; Samira Musayeva, Deputy Head of the State Tax Service; Şabnam Məmmədova, Head of the “SmartNation” Platform and COP29 Organizing Committee member; Eshli Roulands, Project Director of “ACWA Power Azerbaijan Renewable Energy” LLC; energy expert Cahangir Afandiyev; and İlkin Hacıyev, Partner at “Sustainera Solutions.” They highlighted the importance of improving energy efficiency to reduce carbon emissions, the significance of SMEs in achieving net-zero targets, and the need to enhance capacities to accelerate SMEs' transition to a green economy.
At the panel discussion on "Climate Finance and SMEs," key speakers included Eldar Ahmadov, Deputy Head of the Economics Department of the Ministry of Energy; Kanan Mammadov, Lead Economist of the Sustainable Finance Department at the Central Bank; Cavanshir Abdullayev, Honorary Director of the Azerbaijan Bank Training Center; Mehman Abbas, expert on strategic and management issues and founding partner of Caspian Group; and Berk Ozturk, Deputy Director of the Strategy Office at the International Bank of Azerbaijan. They shared insights on the vision and strategic plans for expanding green finance, the mechanisms of the Energy Fund for financing green transitions, and the preparedness of financial market participants for green financing initiatives.
After the discussions concluded in both panels, questions from the entrepreneurs were addressed.
