BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. The first meeting of the commission established for the preparation of the "Socio-Economic Development Strategy for 2027–2030" and the "Second State Program on the Great Return" was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend.
The meeting was attended by deputy prime ministers—who are also heads of working groups—government members, and representatives of relevant institutions.
Asadov said that following the Second Karabakh War and the COVID-19 pandemic, Azerbaijan identified strategic goals for the period 2021–2030 based on the new realities, conditions, and resources that emerged.
These strategic goals were outlined as five national priorities in a decree signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
To implement the National Priorities, the President signed decrees in 2022 approving the "Socio-Economic Development Strategy for 2022–2026" and the "First State Program on the Great Return."
So far, seven billion manat ($4 billion) has been allocated from the state budget for the implementation of the strategy, and approximately 78 percent of the planned tasks have been completed.
The overall implementation rate of the "First State Program on the Great Return" is about 79 percent. A total of 21.6 billion manat ($12.7 billion) has been allocated for the restoration of the liberated territories, including this year.
In the liberated territories, the initial construction of 15 residential settlements—cities, towns, and villages—has been completed, ensuring the resettlement of the population and reintegration into economic activities.
Currently, the construction of 27 settlements and the repair and restoration of 25 settlements are ongoing. The foundations for 21 settlements have also been laid.
During the meeting, the Commission’s working procedures were defined, and discussions were held on the work to be done and the steps to be taken in the near future.
It was instructed that the tasks arising from the presidential decrees must be carried out with maximum efficiency and quality, on time, and that the sub-working groups should meet at least once a month and regularly report on progress.
A specific timeline was established for the preparation and finalization of the strategy and state program.
Asadov emphasized that while preparing the strategy and state program, existing financial capacities must be taken into account, and the proposed measures to achieve the goals should be realistic, precise, and based on measurable indicators. Moreover, other relevant documents and the projects outlined in the First State Program—particularly those optimized for later implementation—must also be considered.
The prime minister noted that the conceptual issues and final drafts stemming from the strategy and state program will also be discussed in phases at the Economic Council.
To recall, in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 611 dated May 30, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to prepare the "Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development for 2027–2030" and the "Second State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of Azerbaijan" within nine months.
In order to ensure the implementation of the aforementioned tasks, a commission was established, and its composition was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers decree dated June 18, 2025, under the chairmanship of the prime minister. The commission was tasked with coordinating the activities of relevant state bodies in the preparation of the projects for the strategy and the state program.
Within the commission, two working groups were formed for the preparation of the strategy and the state program, and their composition has been approved. Deputy prime ministers Shahin Mustafayev and Samir Sharifov were appointed as the heads of these working groups.
Nine sub-working groups have been set up for the preparation of the strategy and four sub-working groups for the State Program on the Great Return.
The "Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development" considers it essential to define targeted policies and reform directions to ensure the sustainable development of the socio-economic achievements attained in recent years, to expand the attraction of foreign direct investments, to further enhance the favorable business environment, to increase the knowledge and technology capacity of the economy, and to ensure the sustainability of the Great Return to the liberated territories.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel