Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.7 / Trend E.Mehdiyev /
The Azerbaijani government has spent $4.6 billion on provision of the necessary facilities and improvement of living conditions of refugees and internally displaced persons during last 20 years, chairman of the State Committee on the Refugees' and Internally Displaced Persons' Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov said at a meeting with the French Senate's delegation on Tuesday.
He said from mentioned sum $2.7 billion were allocated from the state budget, $1 billion - from the State Oil Fund and $900 million - by the international organizations.
The State Oil Fund financed construction of 70 modern settlements. Over 120,000 families of refugees and displaced persons have been moved to these settlements during last 8 years, the committee's chairman said.
He noted if in 2003 poverty rate among displaced persons was 75 per cent, at present this figure decreased to 18 per cent. The Azerbaijani government spent $900 on each displaced person in 2011, Mr Hasanov said.
"This is the largest amount of money spent on each displaced person in the conflict areas all over the world," Mr Hasanov added.
The delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the France-Caucasus friendship group of the French Senate, head of the France-Azerbaijan friendship group, member of the Centrist and Republican Union political group in the French Senate Nathalie Goulet is on visit to Baku. The delegation also includes senators Sylvia Goy-Chavent, Jean-Marie Bockel, Herve Maurey, Andre Reichardt and Jeanny Lorgeoux.