President Aliyev: All promises more than fulfilled
The realities of the past 14 years show that all the given promises have been more than fulfilled.
President Ilham Aliyev made the remarks at a conference dedicated to the fourth year of implementation of the state program on socio-economic development of regions of Azerbaijan in 2014-2018, held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku on January 29.
The President reminded that over the past 14 years Azerbaijan has passed a great and glorious way.
“Our country has achieved great success in all spheres,” he said. “Azerbaijan’s international authority has improved. The political and economic reforms in the country are appraised by the world community. Azerbaijan stands at the forefront in all ratings of prestigious international organizations. Security and stability are ensured in the country. The source of stability is the will of the Azerbaijani people, the unity of people and power.”
President Aliyev said that the radical economic reforms were carried out in the country.
“Infrastructure projects were implemented in regions,” he said. “Infrastructure projects have become a great impetus for general development of our country, and our giant transnational infrastructure projects have changed the energy and transport map of Eurasia.”
Azerbaijan needs always to look forward and organize correctly its activities related to the work to be done in the upcoming years.
“The work done and the results achieved give us grounds to say that today Azerbaijan is a successful, rapidly developing country,” the President said. “We need always to look forward and to correctly organize our activities on the work to be done in the upcoming years.”
The head of state reminded that a big shipyard was built in Azerbaijan.
“Today, we can produce all types of vessels,” he said. “The shipyard is already fulfilling big orders. The Sea Trade Port in Alat is to be put into operation this year. It is the biggest international sea trade port in the Caspian Sea.”
“Without this port we could not become a transport center,” he added. “The commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is a historic event. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is a historic merit for Azerbaijani state and people. The railway is indeed the most important project meant for creating transport corridors in the region and Eurasia in recent years – which has been repeatedly stated and the public knows its importance.”
Talking about the significant importance of the project, President Aliyev said that for several months now, cargoes from Europe and Asia, transported in different directions, are going via Azerbaijan.
“While creating the North-South Transport Corridor, we have solved all issues in our territory in a short time,” he said. “So, we have created excellent conditions for international cooperation.”
The head of state noted that the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines still provides a large amount of foreign currency to the economy.
“It is impossible to list all the work done during these 14 years in one speech. Several days maybe required to highlight all the work done. Today I just presented only the main points to the attention of the public,” he said.
Several important projects related to railway transportation will be implemented in Azerbaijan in 2018, said Ilham Aliyev.
“As I noted, the Baku-TbilisiKars railway is put into operation. The interest is very big; this issue is seriously discussed both within the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos, and in other forums,” said President Aliyev.
The project has a special place among infrastructure transport projects on the world agenda, he noted adding that analysts and experts especially note the role of Azerbaijan in the implementation of this project.
“Currently, we must try to ensure that necessary measures are taken for the successful operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and, of course, they will be taken. Relevant instructions have been given for the production of new wagons, tanks, ships, and the purchase of containers. Cargo from Asia to the West increases day by day. Thus, we managed to implement the East-West transport corridor,” noted the president.
Currency reserves jump
Azerbaijan has no problems related to the development of economy, and the country’s financial situation is stable, said the head of state.
“Our financial position is stable, positive. International institutions positively assess reforms in Azerbaijan. The World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank, international rating agencies appreciate the reforms we are carrying out,” said President Aliyev.
The World Economic Forum in Davos ranked Azerbaijan 35th in the global competitiveness rating, noted the head of state, adding that ranking 35th on the global scale and being the first in the CIS area is a great achievement.
Azerbaijan ranks third among developing countries according to the Inclusive Development Index, President Aliyev said adding that there are nearly 80 countries in this list.
The President went on talking about country’s currency reserves, noting that they have increased by 23 times to $42 billion over the last 14 years.
“We have invested in big investment projects, infrastructure projects, and the construction of oil and gas pipelines,” he said. “These are the projects that require huge funding. At the same time, we have increased our currency reserves by 23 times.”
President Aliyev noted that very serious steps were taken to increase foreign exchange reserves last year. “Although last year our budget was not the same as this year, it was lesser, at the same time, the price of oil was still low. We, thanks to the right policy and tightened discipline in the financial sphere, increased foreign exchange reserves by $4.5 billion. I am confident that this year the foreign exchange reserves will be increased to a larger extent,” Ilham Aliyev said.
He further said that the economic indicators for the last 14 years also confirm the successful dynamics of overall development.
“The economy has grown by 3.2 times over 14 years. I believe that this is a record indicator on a global scale. Our non-oil economy has grown by 2.8 times, which shows that the development of our economy is not only related to the oil and gas production. Our economic development is multivector. The growth of the non-oil sector by 2.8 times is a result of ongoing reforms. A growth of 2.6 times was recorded in industry and 1.7 times in agriculture. Nonoil exports grew by 4.1 times,” said President Aliyev.
The head of state said that the time has come for local executive bodies to lure investments in Azerbaijan.
“The state has played and will play its role. If there were no public investments, there would be no development in the country’s regions. In the opening speech, I touched upon this issue in sufficient detail, because as a result of the state’s investment policy in our regions, we can say that all infrastructure projects have been implemented and are being implemented,” said President Aliyev.
Touching upon public services, Ilham Aliyev said that a revolutionary change happened in this sphere in recent years, noting that the creation of the ASAN Service Centers became a revolutionary turn in this area.
“Over the past five years, about 20 million applications have been submitted at these centers, and the coefficient of recognition of ASAN Service Centers is about 100 percent. A very serious fight against bribery, corruption, bureaucracy is being carried out. This struggle is also conducted in the sphere of systemic measures. I can say that institutional measures are the most effective measures. Naturally, punitive measures are applied, they also have significance,” said President Aliyev.
The head of state noted that the institutional measures are the most effective steps, as they say, taken to narrow the space for corruption and bribery.
Aid to IDPs
Azerbaijan has showed the will of the state and people on the example of Jojug Marjanli and Shikharkh, said the President.
Jojug Marjanli village was fully liberated from the Armenian occupation in April 2016, when Azerbaijani Armed Forces prevented an Armenian provocation on the contact line. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani army launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Leletepe hill located in the direction of Fuzuli region.
President Ilham Aliyev ordered to restore Jojug Marjanli in late January 2017.
“Construction of new buildings and houses for internally displaced people will be continued. Much attention is paid to this issue. So far, 265,000 IDPs have been provided with houses, apartments. Last year, we ensured the restoration of the liberated village of Jojug Marjanli. This is a historic event. At the same time, a large town for 1,170 families was built in the village of Shikharkh, and in Jojug Marjanly for 150 families. These projects were implemented in the territories that were liberated from the occupation. The implementation of these projects, also shows that Azerbaijan will restore it’s territorial integrity, and new cities, towns, villages, schools, residential buildings, the entire infrastructure will be built on these territories,” the President said.
The President said that today, Azerbaijan's economic and military potential is not a secret for anyone.
“And the fair settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the norms of international law, within the territorial integrity of our country is our main task. This issue must find its solution only within the territorial integrity of our country. This year, 20,000 IDPs will be provided with new houses. Last year, we settled 12,000 IDPs. This year, 4,000 families - at least 20,000 IDPs - will be allocated new houses. Thus, the number of IDPs provided with new houses, apartments, good conditions, will reach about 290,000. However, this is the minimum program, if there is a possibility, we will increase this number within a year,” President Aliyev said.