Details added (first version posted on 11:50)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.17
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan's economic development has enabled it to turn into a donor country, Ashraf Shikhaliyev, head of Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) of the Foreign Ministry told reporters Dec.17.
He made the remarks during the press conference on the results of 2015.
"Azerbaijan's active participation and contribution to the operations for rendering humanitarian aid to the countries which faced emergency situations prove that," said Shikhaliyev.
This fact shows Azerbaijan's growing influence on the international arena as a new donor country, he added.
Since its creation, AIDA has relied on the principles of cooperation, effectiveness, transparency and equality when rendering assistance to foreign countries, said Shikhaliyev. He added that AIDA organizes its activities in two main directions: rendering humanitarian aid and assistance in international development.
Guided by the Millennium Development Goals, AIDA renders assistance to developing countries as part of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in reducing the poverty, developing science, culture and health care, broader use of information and communication technologies, effective use of energy resources, working out various scholarship programs, implementing other humanitarian and technical projects, said AIDA head.
To date, over 30 countries throughout the world benefited from these programs, according to Shikhaliyev.
By rendering assistance to other countries, Azerbaijan aims to strengthen the international cooperation in political, economic, cultural and other spheres, he said.
Shikhaliyev pointed out that thereby, AIDA's serves the goals to ensure peace, security and prosperity on the planet and fulfill Azerbaijan's foreign policy priorities.
AIDA closely cooperates with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and other donor organizations and agencies by establishing partnership relations with them and implementing joint projects.
Azerbaijan regularly renders humanitarian assistance to many countries facing emergency situations.
Azerbaijan has rendered financial assistance to a number of countries, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Panama, Cuba, the Philippines, Burkina Faso, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Afghanistan since 2011-2012, said AIDA head.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Ashraf Shikhaliyev member of the Consultative Group of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
Edited by SI
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