BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 21. The 54th high-level meeting of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) took place in Paris on March 20, 2025, with Azerbaijan represented by the Azerbaijan International Development Assistance Agency (AIDA), operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trend reports.
The meeting brought together representatives from over 50 countries and around 15 international organizations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bulgaria, Croatia, South Africa, India, and traditional DAC donor countries.
The primary focus of the meeting was on enhancing the quality and effectiveness of international development assistance, fostering stronger bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and mobilizing additional financial resources for sustainable development.
AIDA Chairman Elmaddin Mehdiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s emerging role as a new donor country for international aid, emphasizing the nation’s significant contributions to development. He also underscored the importance of the historic outcomes at COP29 in promoting development and the application of climate finance lessons to development financing.
Mehdiyev expressed optimism about the future of new partnerships, particularly those focused on climate change and official development assistance, which were jointly organized by AIDA and OECD DAC during COP29. He is confident that these initiatives will enhance the effectiveness of development assistance.
Other meeting participants noted that official development assistance is increasingly threatened by geopolitical tensions and economic challenges. The importance of providing aid based on the needs of recipient countries rather than the foreign policy interests of donors was emphasized, alongside the need for multilateralism and innovative financing sources.
During the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also held productive discussions with OECD DAC leadership, exploring prospects for further strengthening cooperation in the field of international development assistance.
