Baku, October 12 (AZERTAC). U.S.-based Foreign Policy News has published an article headlined “Azerbaijan maintains impressive economic growth and public works”.

Written by Peter Tase, a contributor, freelance journalist and a research scholar of International Affairs, Paraguayan Studies, Middle East Studies and Latin American Affairs, the article says: “At the beginning of 2014, the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan has embraced a series of projects in the areas of infrastructure development and public works as well as introduced a number of socio-economic reforms which are considered to be of high priority in order to ensure stable economic growth and better living standards for its citizens. The nation’s financial stability, growing international reputation and respect for the rule of law have been essential towards the completion of many infrastructure projects in Azerbaijan and is working tirelessly to ensure the completion of the natural gas supply lines nationwide.

The positive image of Azerbaijan in the World has made Baku one of the most attractive destinations for large multi-national corporations and real estate investors. As many foreign visitors have experienced in their recent visits, the quality of infrastructure projects in Azerbaijan is first rate, additionally the urban planning policies and governmental rules are considered to be among the best in the world. At the same time the relevant agencies in the Government of Azerbaijan have paid a great attention to quality control and have always maintained the completion of public works on schedule.

The Rural Roads National Fund is allocated appropriately and continues to grow its budget every year, therefore a large part of Azerbaijan’s rural population have access to good roads. However many roads require further maintenance and expansion. The construction of rural roads occupies a special place in the third Regional Development Program of Azerbaijan; additionally the President has allocated additional funds from his Contingency Fund in order to benefit this vital sector. In the next three years, the government of Azerbaijan will inaugurate a nationwide paved road system that will be very reliable to all its citizens and set a positive example in the region. Additionally, Baku has invested large resources on other infrastructure projects consisting of electrical grid systems and gas pipelines nationwide.

Fresh water lines and sanitation projects are currently being implemented throughout the country. The national budget has allocated significant resources in order to finance major investment projects that are already under way in major urban areas. In Azerbaijan there were many communities that have experienced difficulties for many years to have access to drinking water, now they have uninterrupted and round-the-clock supply of fresh water which complies with the standards of the World Health Organization. One of the high priorities of President Ilham Aliyev’s current administration is to build drinkable water lines on all cities and villages. The government agencies including “Azersu” and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources are building water treatment plants of modular type in villages located along the rivers. Today, almost 500 thousand people living in these territories have non-stop access to a clean drinking water.

In 2014, over US$20 billion was invested in the national economy. Such a large amount has allowed Azerbaijan to develop major projects in infrastructure and public works. Azerbaijan has one of the lowest inflation rates in the world. Its macroeconomic stability is the main factor that ensures a stable economic development.

Agriculture has gained a special attention in the administration of President Ilham Aliyev, as a result his nation has achieved impressive results in developing large agricultural farms and secured a prestigious place in the global market of agricultural and dairy products. Substantial reforms are being implemented and they will ensure self-sufficiency in grain production for the whole population in Azerbaijan. The Government of President Ilham Aliyev is setting the standard by establishing large agricultural farms that operate within the world’s highest standards. The main priority of the agricultural sector is to expand its presence in the international markets and increase the quantity of agricultural products being exported to Europe.

In regards to national gasification project, this process has been steady and moving toward the right direction. In the next few years the gasification of Azerbaijan is expected to be distributed in over 95 percent of its territory. President Aliyev has been following the progress of this undertaking very closely and is informed on all the villages that have recently natural gas services available. Azerbaijan’s gas has also been heavily exported to Georgia.”