Baku hosts presentation of The Business Year magazine`s special edition on Azerbaijan
Baku, April 5 (AZERTAC). A special edition of the Business Year magazine, The Business Year - Azerbaijan 2013, has been held in Baku organized by the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan.
The presentation was attended by Azerbaijani state and government officials, MPs, public figures and journalists. The special edition is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev.
The magazine`s country manager Betul Cakaloglu briefed the participants on the special edition. She said the British magazine The Business Year named the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as the Person of the Year.
She noted President Ilham Aliyev was honored for his role in ensuring Azerbaijan`s rapid development in the last five years; in turning the country into an important actor on the global geopolitical scene; in ensuring Azerbaijan`s tremendous contribution to maintaining global peace and security as an UN Security Council member and to developing the ICT sector both in Azerbaijan, in the region and in the world through launching Azerspace, the country`s first communications satellite; as well as in making Azerbaijan the center for high-profile international social, political, economic forums, conferences and sport tournaments.
Cakaloglu expressed gratitude to the Presidential Administration`s department for socio-political affairs and other structures that provided assistance in preparing the special edition.
Speaking at the ceremony, head of the department for socio-political affairs of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov described as important the fact that this is the third edition dedicated to Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan occupies a worthy place on the international scene as a stable state,” he said.
He noted that Azerbaijan develops economically whereas majority of countries are in crisis.
“World countries found themselves in such a situation that even going beyond the international law norms, they set their eyes on population`s deposits in the banks, cut pensions, put social projects and programs on hold. The crisis, which hit Europe, makes people leave for Asia and East. They plan to implement their social and economic programs in the Asian countries. Under these circumstances, the Azerbaijani development model is of great interest not only for Azerbaijanis, but also for the whole wide world,” Hasanov said.
Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev noted the economy of Azerbaijan grew 10.5% in the past two months of the year. According to him, entrepreneurs are scheduled to get 150 million manats in lax credits this year.
The Minister pointed out that the GDP of Azerbaijan will double by 2020 thanks to the non-oil sector with only 20 percent of GDP growth driven by the oil industry. “It means total end of oil dependency.” Mustafayev said 48 percent of GDP is boosted by the oil sector and 52 percent by the non-oil one.
Azerbaijan`s Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov said that ICT sector in Azerbaijan registered the jaw-dropping development, adding the country “opened its information doors” to the world. Abbasov noted that competitiveness of Azerbaijani ICT companies will enhance in the world market in the years to come. The Minister said that the launch of the first telecom satellite was one of the latest successes of Azerbaijan in the ICT sector.
Minister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan plays a key role in ensuring energy security of the world. He spoke of the projects being implemented by Azerbaijan`s government.
President of the Azersun Holding group of companies Abdulbari Gozal said a healthy and apt young generation was formed in Azerbaijan. “They play an important role in development of the Azerbaijani state.”
Editor-in-chief of the magazine Jason John Nash highlighted economic and political successes of Azerbaijan. He said the Azerbaijani economy has undergone transformation beginning from the presidencies of national leader Heydar Aliyev and then incumbent President Ilham Aliyev.
In conclusion, Ali Hasanov was presented with The Business Year magazine`s prize.
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