9月22日，和振伟会长率中国企业代表团赴阿塞拜疆巴库，出席首届阿塞拜疆国际投资论坛。论坛由阿塞拜疆经济部、阿出口与投资促进署主办，阿总统伊利哈姆·阿利耶夫阁下发表开幕致辞。
阿利耶夫总统在致辞中指出，阿塞拜疆地处欧亚交汇处，是连接东西、南北的关键枢纽。他表示，阿塞拜疆政府致力于推动经济多元化，大力发展非油产业，积极打造高加索及中亚地区的投资与物流中心。总统强调，阿塞拜疆将持续改善营商环境，欢迎包括中国在内的各国企业前来投资，尤其在能源、交通、物流、农业、数字化、绿色经济等领域开展深入合作。
论坛期间，和振伟会长在“战略投资与融资”平行论坛发言。他表示，举办阿塞拜疆国际投资论坛对展示阿塞拜疆投资潜力和良好投资环境至关重要，中国产业海外发展协会组织来自中国12个省份的20多位企业家参加本次论坛。除了参加论坛外，中国企业家还将在阿塞拜疆进行实地考察，探索投资机会，希望此次访问能产生良好效果，帮助和推动更多的中国企业进入阿方市场，共同促进两国经贸投资关系繁荣发展。
来自40多个国家的政府官员、驻阿使节、国际组织与企业界代表约500余人出席活动，中国驻阿塞拜疆大使鲁梅在平行论坛就“南高加索与中亚在全球格局的角色”专题讨论会作主旨发言。
在密集的论坛议程之外，和振伟会长还率团与阿塞拜疆主要政府机构及经济区负责人举行了一系列富有成效的会谈。
在与阿塞拜疆国家能源公司（Azerenerji）会谈中，该公司国外经济关系部长安纳尔·阿凡季耶夫先生重点介绍了阿塞拜疆电力行业发展情况及未来发展潜力等，并邀请中方企业参与其未来的电站升级与国家绿色走廊中的新能源项目。
代表团随后拜访了阿塞拜疆出口与投资促进署（AZPROMO），与副署长图拉尔·哈吉利进行了友好会谈。双方就如何进一步便利中国企业在阿投资流程、精准对接重点合作项目等交换了意见。阿方详细介绍了阿塞拜疆为外资提供的优惠政策与重点推介项目，特别是在电力、新能源、物流枢纽和数字经济领域前景广阔。
此外，代表团专程考察了阿拉特自由经济区，与阿拉特自由经济区主席瓦莱赫·阿拉斯加罗夫进行了深入交流。瓦莱赫主席详细介绍了该经济区依托巴库港的独特区位优势、先进的基础设施以及涵盖税收、海关和用工在内的多项优惠政策。和振伟会长表示，阿拉特自由经济区是连接欧亚市场的理想门户，中国产业海外发展协会将积极引导和支持中国交通物流、加工制造和高新技术企业入驻经济区，将其打造为中阿产业与投资合作的新高地。
中国企业代表团、我会业务一部等相关人员随团参加活动。
CODA Delegation Attends the First Azerbaijan International Investment Forum
On September 22, 2025, Mr. He Zhenwei, President of the China Overseas Development Association (CODA), led a delegation of Chinese enterprises to Baku, Azerbaijan, to attend the inaugural Azerbaijan International Investment Forum (AIIF). The forum, themed "Advancing East–West, North–South connectivity in a fragmented global economy," was organized by the Ministry of Economy and the Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO) of Azerbaijan, in cooperation with Italy's The European House – Ambrosetti and TEHA Group. H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, attended and delivered the opening address.
In his speech, President Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan's strategic location as a crucial hub bridging East-West and North-South corridors. He reiterated the government's commitment to economic diversification, developing non-oil sectors, and positioning Azerbaijan as a center for investment and logistics in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The President emphasized continuous improvements in the business climate and welcomed enterprises from China and other countries to invest, particularly in energy, transport, logistics, agriculture, digitalization, and the green economy.
During the forum, President He Zhenwei participated as a panelist in the parallel session on "Strategic Investment and Financing: Unlocking Opportunities through Public–Private Partnerships and Synergies," engaging with representatives from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Azerbaijan Investment Holding, and other institutions. The event gathered over 500 participants, including government officials, ambassadors, international organizations, and business representatives from more than 40 countries.
Beyond the forum agenda, President He led the delegation in a series of productive meetings with key Azerbaijani institutions.
In a meeting with Anar Afandiyev, the Head of Foreign Economic Relations at Azerbaijan's National Energy Company (AzerEnerji), the discussion centered on cooperation in the power sector. President He noted that Chinese enterprises possess globally leading advantages in the R&D, manufacturing, and engineering construction of clean energy technologies such as PV, wind power, and hydrogen, and expressed willingness to share experience and jointly develop Azerbaijan's and regional power markets. AzerEnerji expressed strong interest and invited Chinese companies to participate in its future power plant upgrades and new energy projects.
The delegation also met with Tural Hajili, the Deputy Executive Director of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO). They exchanged views on streamlining investment processes for Chinese companies and aligning with key cooperative sectors. The Azerbaijani side detailed incentives for foreign investment and highlighted specific projects in agritech, logistics hubs, and the digital economy. President He invited AZPROMO to organize Azerbaijani business delegations to China for economic and trade events, aiming to build a regular exchange platform for businesses from both countries.
Furthermore, the delegation visited the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) and held in-depth talks with its Chairman Valeh F. Alasgarov. The Chairman elaborated on AFEZ's unique advantages leveraging the Baku Port, its advanced infrastructure, and preferential policies covering taxes, customs, and labor. President He Zhenwei stated that AFEZ is an ideal gateway connecting Eurasian markets and that CODA would actively guide and support Chinese enterprises in logistics, manufacturing, and high-tech industries to establish a presence there, making it a new highlight for China-Azerbaijan production capacity cooperation.
CODA’s Business Department I joined the delegation during the events. (Contributed by Business Department I)