President Aliyev: Revolutionary change happened in sphere of public services in Azerbaijan
A revolutionary change happened in sphere of public services in Azerbaijan in recent years, said Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at a conference dedicated to the fourth year of implementation of the state program on socio-economic development of regions of Azerbaijan in 2014-2018, held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku Jan. 29.
The head of state said that the creation of the ASAN Service Centers became a revolutionary turn in this area.
"Over the past five years, about 20 million applications have been submitted at these centers, and the coefficient of recognition of ASAN Service Centers is about 100 percent. A very serious fight against bribery, corruption, bureaucracy is being carried out. This struggle is also conducted in the sphere of systemic measures. I can say that institutional measures are the most effective measures. Naturally, punitive measures are applied, they also have significance," said President Aliyev.
The head of state noted that the institutional measures are the most effective steps, as they say, taken to narrow the space for corruption and bribery.
Ilham Aliyev receives delegation of European Commission
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Director General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission Henrik Hololei.
Hololei congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the creation of transport infrastructure in Azerbaijan, as well as on the construction of a new sea port, the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the success achieved in the comprehensive development of modern air transport network in Azerbaijan.
At the meeting, the sides underlined Azerbaijan's significance as one of the leading international transport corridors, and noted the country's importance as a transport hub and the fact that the EU attaches strategic importance to this work.
During the conversation, the parties stressed the necessity of establishing a permanent dialogue in the transport sphere between Azerbaijan and the EU, and exchanged views on deepening cooperation in transportation.
Azerbaijani minister talks investments for districts’ development
Last year, 4.5 billion manats were invested as part of the "State Program of Socio-Economic Development of Azerbaijan's Districts for 2014-2018," the country's Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said Jan. 29.
He was speaking at a conference on the results of the fourth year of the implementation of the State Program of Socio-Economic Development of Azerbaijan's Districts for 2014-2018 being held in the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.
The minister noted that in 2017, efforts continued for the development of Azerbaijan's non-oil sector, increase of the non-oil exports volume, and, in general, for the development of the country's districts.
He said that this program radically changed the appearance of the districts.
Speaking about the measures taken to support entrepreneurship, the minister reminded that as part of the mechanism to promote exports, entrepreneurs received subsidies worth almost 3 million manats.
The number of business inspections was also reduced - 83 inspections were carried out last year, and 153 inspections were carried out since their suspension started, he said.
A total of 125,000 inspections were carried out for the previous three years, he added.
Mustafayev also reminded that 177,000 new jobs were created and 1,646 business licenses were issued last year.
Azerbaijan signs deal to attract Arab investments, tourists
The Association for Azerbaijan-Arab Countries Cooperation (AACC) has signed an agreement on cooperation with Qatar's Daru `l-Arab media group.
The agreement was signed by Chairman of AACC Elshan Rahimov and Jaber Salim Al-Harami, executive director of the media group.
In accordance with the agreement, Daru `l-Arab will be covering activities of the AACC in the Arab press. The media group also undertakes the commitment to publish information on the development of tourism, industry and trade in Azerbaijan in order to attract Arab businessmen to the country.
In particular, attention will be paid to the publication of articles on the tourism potential of Azerbaijan with the aim of attracting Arab tourists to the country.
Speaking at the event, Rahimov noted that the agreement will make it possible to significantly expand the activities of the AACC.
The agreement will make it possible to ensure a dialogue among potential business partners, improve awareness of investment prospects, prepare various business projects and in general, strengthen relations between Azerbaijan and the Arab countries, Rahimov said.
The AACC has been operating since 2017.
Azerbaijan's trade turnover with Arab countries amounted to $324.53 million in 2017, and $259.72 million of this amount accounted for the export of Azerbaijani goods, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. In particular, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with Qatar amounted to $4.75 million in 2017.
Azerbaijan invites US to invest in Mingachevir Industrial Park
The US companies may take advantage of the investment opportunities created in Azerbaijan and invest in industrial zones created in the country, especially in the Mingachevir Industrial Park, Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev said.
Mustafayev made the remarks at the meeting with US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta in Baku, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy said in a message Feb. 1.
"The relations between Azerbaijan and the US are actively developing in all spheres, in particular, in economy," Mustafayev said.
Stressing the cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham) and the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC), the minister stressed that currently, the visit of the Azerbaijani export mission to the US is being prepared together with AmCham.
In his turn, Cekuta stressed the importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway and the Baku International Sea Trade Port and expressed US interest in BTK.
Cekuta stressed that the diversification of the economy and the implementation of reforms have raised Azerbaijan's international rating.
He also expressed his opinion on economic cooperation and the projects being implemented in Azerbaijan with the US support.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the US amounted to $781.78 million in 2017, according to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee.
Azerbaijani, Belarus specialists may cooperate in robotics
Azerbaijani and Belarus specialists may make joint developments in the field of robotics, the Azerbaijani Regional Innovative Technologies Academy told Trend.
There is a possibility of combining the advantages of mobile robots of Belarus scientists and unmanned aerial vehicles produced at the High Technologies Park and the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.
Earlier, it was reported that Azerbaijan will consider the possibility of using mobile robots. The mobile robots developed by scientists at the Belarus State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics and the Joint Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus may be used in agriculture to eliminate the consequences of emergency situations.
"Both Belarus and Azerbaijan have outlined the further cooperation plans and published a joint article," the Azerbaijani Regional Innovative Technologies Academy said. "The sides have not started to develop a joint project, however, all preconditions for that are available."
Azerbaijani Central Bank’s currency reserves up
Currency reserves of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) amounted to $5.38 billion in January 2018, which is by $1.05 billion (24.4 percent) more than in the same period last year, according to statistical data posted on the CBA website Feb. 2.
During the month, CBA reserves rose by $46.6 million.
Currency reserves of CBA increased by $1.36 billion or 34.2 percent in 2017 as compared to 2016.
CBA's currency reserves started to decrease in July 2014. The reduction was at a slower pace (within a range of $20 million to $50 million) at the beginning, but a sharp decline began in December 2014 due to an increase in demand for US dollars in the country.
During 2016, the CBA currency reserves increased by 0.9 percent in March, 1.35 percent in April, 3.97 percent in May, 0.7 percent in August, and 0.14 percent in November.
Azerbaijan invites consulting companies to monitor customs procedures
Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee is inviting consulting companies to monitor customs procedures, Aydin Aliyev, chairman of the committee, said Feb. 2.
He was speaking at a business lunch organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham).
He said that consulting companies can create a special group for assessing the work of customs authorities in Azerbaijan.
"The companies can also give advice and suggestions on improving trade turnover," Aliyev said. "This will lead to even greater transparency of the customs authorities' work, as well as its further improvement based on these proposals."
Central Bank: Azerbaijani manat gradually restoring accumulative function
Azerbaijan's national currency has started to restore its accumulative function, Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Elman Rustamov said.
Rustamov made the remarks in Baku Feb. 3 at the CBA expanded meeting dedicated to the results of 2017 and the forthcoming tasks.
Rustamov said that in 2017 the manat money supply increased by 8.7 percent, which greatly exceeds the growth rates of the non-oil sector.
"During the year, there was enough money for making various payments timely," he said. "In conditions of supply exceeding demand in the currency market, the manat rate has strengthened by 4 percent since the beginning of the year, which has led to a decrease in inflation expectations and dollarization."
In 2017, the deposits of individuals amounted to 7.56 billion manats (an increase of 1.5 percent over the year), according to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.
The deposits in national currency at the end of the year amounted to 2.5 billion manats (a 66.9 percent growth for the year).
The share of deposits in national currency increased from 20.4 percent to 33.5 percent for the year.