Azerbaijan, Baku/ Trend , corr. I. Khalilova / The official negotiations between the World Bank (WB) and the Azerbaijani Government of a credit agreement for a project on improvement of the water supply and collection systems in Azerbaijani towns are expected to take place in the second half of April, 2007, according to a source in the WB Baku Representative Office. Andreas Rodeau, the Head of a WB Group of Projects is expected to visit the team of a WB delegate to Baku for further negotiations.
According to the estimation, WB is ready to present a loan of $230 million to Azerbaijan. The negotiations were to be held in March, 2007, but due to some unsettled issues, they have been postponed. One of the Bank's terms is that According to the terms of the WB, only after completion of the audit can "Big Baku Water Supply" be part of one of the first water projects sponsored by the Bank.
The parties agreed on including twenty of the country's districts in the project. Feasibility studies have already commenced in ten regions, Aghdam, Bilasuvar, Goranboy, Guba, Khachmaz, and Zagatala, are among them.
The other ten regions are expected to be involved in the project later, however, everything will be carried out step by step, and the preparatory work will begin when the studies in the regions are complete.
According to the WB Strategic Partnership with the Azerbaijan Government for 2007-2010, in the 2007 fiscal year,
WB will grant a $220 million loan to Azerbaijan to improve its water supply and collection systems. The other $200
million is expected to be provided for developing its national water supply and collection systems in the fiscal year
of 2008 and 2010.