BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 22. Baku has hosted a presentation of the Azerbaijan Rapid Technical Assistance Facility (AZTAF) by the World Bank, Trend reports.
Leyla Taghiyeva, the AZTAF program coordinator, stated during the presentation that the initiative includes advisory help for the Azerbaijani government.
"AZTAF aims to improve the management of government institutions and the public sector, stimulate economic reforms, increase social inclusion and communication, and contribute to the effective recovery process following COVID-19," she explained.
Taghiyeva noted that nine components of technical assistance are funded within AZTAF.
"The program is aligned with the five national priorities and the socio-economic development strategy for 2022-2026. The total budget of the program is 5.25 million euro," she also said.
According to her, the implementation of the program is expected to continue until April 2025.
"AZTAF is implemented in line with four EU priorities: stronger governance, a stronger economy, connectivity and resilience, and a stronger society," added Taghiyeva.
Taghiyeva also mentioned that the components of technical assistance include such areas as technical support for the preparation of the "smart village" program, assistance in implementing reforms in reporting and corporate governance in government institutions, strengthening the system of public procurement, and enhancing water safety.
According to her, the aforementioned assistance also includes digital communication for inclusivity and competitiveness, technical assistance to support the identification of investment opportunities for energy efficiency interventions in public buildings and the establishment of an energy efficiency regulatory framework, addressing gender discrimination in the workplace, supporting women in business, and improving the disability determination system.
Shams Mustafayeva, consultant to the World Bank's Baku office, spoke about the importance of preparing and approving an official corporate strategy to ensure equal opportunities and the principle of increasing the share of women in managerial and technical positions.
She stressed that it's recommended to ensure reporting on gender equality issues, increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, establish corporate leadership and an equal opportunities strategy.
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