Azerbaijan continues its inclusive and sustainable development. Over the last two decades, our economy has grown approximately fourfold, while poverty and unemployment have dropped to around 5 percent. Significant investments in social protection and infrastructure have improved the well-being of our population, which has now exceeded 10 million.
“Elchi” reports that these remarks were included in the address of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to the participants of the 82nd session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
The head of state noted that Azerbaijan has made great progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by integrating the UN 2030 Agenda into its national development strategies, achieving successes in poverty reduction, education, and healthcare, and periodically submitting voluntary national reports that reflect our firm commitment to the principle of leaving no one behind.
“Furthermore, Azerbaijan is strengthening its role as a key transport hub. In the current geopolitical environment, the importance of the Middle Corridor is increasing. The Zangezur Corridor will further enhance regional connectivity by linking Asia with Europe and contributing to broader transport, energy, and digital networks, in full alignment with the priorities of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Azerbaijan continues to play its reliable role as a guarantor of energy security in various regions, contributing to stable and diversified energy supplies.
The end of the conflict has also created new opportunities for the expansion of Azerbaijan’s international efforts. Azerbaijan’s chairmanship in the Organization of Turkic States and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, its admission to the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, its participation in consultative meetings of heads of state in Central Asia, and its successful hosting of COP29 are manifestations of the international community’s growing trust in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy,” President Ilham Aliyev emphasized.