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Azerbaijani President: â€œThe first three months of this year show once more that our policy is rightâ€

22 April 2009 18:03 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Azerbaijanâ€™s President Ilham Aliyev chaired the meeting of the Cabinet on the outcomes of socio-economic development for the first quarter of 2009, APA reports. Addressing the meeting President said new era had begun for Azerbaijanâ€™s economy. Ilham Aliyev said the past five years laid a good groundwork for it.

President noted that the countryâ€™s economy had increased by 2.6 times and industrial production by 2.5 times in the past five years. About 2000 schools, hundreds of medical, cultural and other social facilities were constructed, hundreds of thousands of jobs were created in 2003-2008.

Salaries and pensions were increased. The head of state noted that though the economic crisis affected all states, successful policy pursued in the country in the past five years ensured sustainability of socio-economic development in Azerbaijan in the first quarter of 2009. The indicators of the past three months prove it.
â€œDespite all difficulties, crisis, GDP increased in Azerbaijan by 4.1 percent in the first three months. I think this is a very important result for a year of crisis. The development of non-oil sector increased by 14 percent in the past three months,â€ he said.

President said all this had been achieved thanks to the strong economic policy and continuous reforms. The head of state said Azerbaijan was an attractive country for foreign investors and said construction of new cement plant worth over â‚¬ 300 million at the cost of foreign investments proved it. Though the oil price fell by 3-4 times in the international markets, the state continues patronizing local entrepreneurs. The money allocated from the National Fund of Support for Entrepreneurs has been increased this year.

To the President, execution of a new program on socio-economic development of the regions has already commenced. Aliyev noted that Azerbaijanâ€™s economic power had dynamically been developing and it pursued an independent policy, which allowed the country to impact on the processes going on in the region and in the world. The head of state emphasized that resolute steps in policy and constructive position in regional cooperation strengthened the positions of Azerbaijan in the international arena: â€œThe first three months of this year show once more that our policy is right and this policy brings benefit to Azerbaijani People and strengthens state and independenceâ€.

Economic Development Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Health Minister Ogtay Shiraliyev, Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfas Garayev, chairperson of the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Issues Hijran Huseynova gave information about the works done by the bodies in the first quarter of the year.