OFFICIAL NEWS
PRESIDENT HOLDS MEETING TO FOCUS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BAKU AND SUBURBS
The President made opening remarks at the meeting.
“Our economy’s growth rate is the world’s highest. Now, it is obvious to everybody, and the most authoritative international financial structures confirm that. The economic reforms being implemented in Azerbaijan yields fruit,” he said.
The President pointed out the GDP reached the level of 26% as the number of poor people reduced from 49% to 29% that , according to him, was a graphic evidence of the good job done.
Speaking of the results of the State program of socio-economic development of regions, he said: “Opening of the 340 thousand jobs, of course, serve the reduction in unemployment in the regions, and commissioning of new industrial enterprises serve as basis for development of non-oil sector.”
“At the same time, as you are aware, Baku suburbs face a lot of problems, and we, of course, are thinking of finding ways to tackle them. The problems in the villages around Baku city must be solved as soon as possible. There are 47 villages populated by some 700 thousand people, and we should try that all the existing social and economic problems there be solved in two - 2006/2007 - years,” the President said.
“Azerbaijan’s budget grows 70% per year. This year’s budget is $4 billion. It will be growing in 2007 too. All this allows us to channel the extra funds to where they are most needed, for the economy to continue to develop and the people to live better in Azerbaijan,” the Head of State said.