Oval Useful news from Azerbaijan and Caucasus
After great historical individual as Heydar Aliyev, who succeeded stability in internal life and realized exact foreign political strategy, at the result of which Azerbaijan achieved high-level development of economy, policy, science and culture there was not easy to become the leader of the State. This mission could be continued only by the person, who appreciated the realities of Azerbaijan and was able to conduct political course of Heydar Aliyev.
In the shaped conditions, in the elections of alternative ground, taken place on October 15, 2003, the candidate of the party of “New Azerbaijan” (NYA) – Ilham Aliyev was elected the President of the Azerbaijan Republic with the majority of voices.
Major goal of new phase was the provision of continuance of dynamic socio-economic development in the country by the vehicle of improvement of concurrency capability of national economy and its rational integration to world economic system. There were determined certain and essential duties for realization of these goals in the orders and documents of economic policy, confirmed by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mr. Ilham Aliyev.
Most important duties were the strengthening of existed economic potentiality of the country, complex and rational utilization of this potentiality, as well as the development of oil section, complete and rational utilization of the potentiality of each region, the development of ownership and the provision of the conditions for creation of big amount of new work places, essential increasment of amount, quality and direction of social services also decrease of poverty.
Presidential elections of 2003, and the circumstance itself, which they were organized in reflected the hopes of Azerbaijan nation to stable development and prosperity of the country under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev – devoted continuer of worldwide leader – Heydar Aliyev’s work. In the latest five years, there were successfully conducted political and economic reforms, stable democratization process in Azerbaijan.
The one of the first signed documents by new President was the Decree of November 24, 2003, “About the measures on the intensification of socio-economic development of the Azerbaijan Republic”, a little bit later – on February 11, 2004 the President gave an order “About the confirmation of socio-economic development of the regions of the Azerbaijan Republic (2004-2008)”.
The results of the orders by the President, which were real programmes for implementation were positively reflected in all spheres of national husbandry, especially, in complex development of the regions of country. The aimed development of the economy provided the improvement of life level and social conditions of population. Wages were increased in all stratums of the population during 2003- 2005s, the work on provision the students of 1st-11th classes of secondary schools with free textbooks was ended. The ceremony, which was examined in “State Programme on the decrease of proverty and economic development” for 2002-2005, surrounded whole economic and social spheres.
In coherence with the adopted “State Programme of socio- economic development of the regions of the Azerbaijan Republic” (February 11, 2004) there were exploited 27 big and middle enterprises, opened more than 135 thousand work places in various fields in 2004. Year by year the quality of working or exploiting industrial enterprises had increased with foreign and local capital. So, if in 2003, there were 192 foreign enterprises in the country, at present time that number raised to 208. Simultaneously, the portion of non-governmental organizations grew: if in 2003, the portion of non-governmental enterprises passed the half and constituted 57%, after three years the weight of non-governmental section reached to 75,8% at the result of realized measures, which were related with the development of ownership and realization of privatization, as well as the increasment of the amount of production of industrial output in 2,5 times.
During 2003-2008s, there occurred essential events in internal and international life of our country. There was organized elections to Milli Mejlis on November 6, 2005, new structure of the Parliament began to work on December 2, 2005. In November, 2004, there was opened general consulate of Azerbaijan Republic in Tabriz, were organized official visits of the President Ilham Aliyev to Iran, France, USA, Turkey and other states, as well as his report on the General Assemble of UN.
The adoption of the Resolution about the circumstances in the occupied Azerbaijan territories with the majority of voices on General Assemble of UN in March, 2008, demonstrated strengthened international fame and power of our country and became great political and diplomatic success of Azerbaijan. There was signed mutual declaration on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, under the participation of the president of Russia in Moscow, in 2008. This declaration, as President Ilham Aliyev mentioned, served to national interests of Azerbaijan and was directed to the restoration of territorial intergrity of our country.
Great belief of the citizens of Azerbaijan to their leader, the realized socio-economic policy by him were confirmed in the bright victory of Ilham Aliyev in the presidential elections of October 2008, which were the reflection of national support of the policy, conducted by him.
On March 18, 2009, there occurred national referendum on the apply of Amendments to the Constitution. About 71% of the population took part in this referendum, more than 90% of them voted positively to the suggested amendments, which proved the necessity to renew Main Law of the country. Much more important moment of the referendum was the approvement of internal and foreign policy of President Ilham Aliyev by the population and the voting for the abolishment of 5th part of 101st Article, which had forbidden one person to be president more than two times. Along with it, there were made changes concerned to various sides of socio-political and spiritual life of the society.
Energetic projects, which became indicators of socio-economic development of Azerbaijan, raised to new practice level. In the latest 5 years, the extraction of oil and gas essentially increased in Azerbaijan. If in 2003, the oil extraction constituted 15,4% million ton, in 2008, it raised to 50 million ton. In 2003, the gas extraction in Azerbaijan constituted 5,5% billion cubemetres, in 2008-more than 20 billion cubemetres. Generally, the exploitation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil- pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline in July, 2006, which were the transnational infrastructural projects, possessing great historical essence, increased economic power of our state. The construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Qars railway is also strategic project, which will be exploited in the future. Azerbaijan turned from the country of gas important into country of gas exporter. Gasification of the Republic itself was reached to 85 persent and the use of gas was provided in all regional centres.
During 2003-2008s, there were constructed and exploited 6 new electrostations with the power of 750 megavatt, exploitation power of energetic system increased to 24,3%. There were laid down new electric cable and air lines, adopted necessary measures on the provision of durable work of electric network. In 2008, there was constructed and exploited Sangachal electrostation with the power of 300 megavatt, the construction of modern electrostation with 525-megavat power in Sumgait ended, the construction of the electrostation with the power of 780 megavatt in Shirvan and electrostation with the power of 104 megavatt are continuing.
Today, thanks to the diversification of the export of corbahydrate, Azerbaijan possesses 7 oil and gas pipes. Energetic policy gave economic independence to the country, provided to realization of projects on the creation, infrastructural project successfully in the country. During 5 years, the average of the minimum salary grew 3,5 times, pensions – 3,8 times. Our country obtained the highest economic growth in 2006, and in 2007 – 34,5 and 25 percent. Much more interesting was that the temps of the development of work oil section (16 percent) promoted the analogical temps of oil section (7 percent), which was the result of policy of state support to ownership and limitation of the dependence from oil section in the strategy of socio- economic development – this strategy is successfully realized by the president Ilham Aliyev. There were succeeded achievements in the sphere of balanced development of regions, limitation of poverty, liquidation constituted 38 billion manats, at the beginning of 2009, monetary reserves of our country raised to 18 billions US dollar. There were signed a line of orders by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, which were directed to the provision of social defence of the population, increasement of salary of workers, who were engaged in boudget organizations. Since September 1, 2008, basic part of minimum salary per month and labour pensions were increased to 50% in a year. Number of people, who got direct addressed social aid by the state reached to more than 600 thousand people. If in 2003, the number of citizens, living in poor conditions constituted 49%, 5 years later this number constituted 16%. Generally, in latest five years the leader of state confirmed more than 70 state programmes, surrounding economic, social, and humanitarian spheres of the country. In 2003-2008, there were constructed 36 new township for refugees, in latest five years there were opened 766 thousand new work places, as well as 547 thousand permanent ones. In the latest five years the state boudget increased more than ten times. If in 2003, the state boudget of Azerbaijan constituted 1,2 billion US dollar, in 2008, it reached to 13 billion US dollar. The expences on the public-health, which constituted major part of state expences increased in 6,3 times, on agriculture and forest husbandry-in 5,2 times, on education-in 4,8 times, on social defence and social provision – in 3,9 times, in culture, sport, physical culture – in 4,5 times, on defence – in 9,7 times.
The measures, realized in the latest five years in the sphere of army construction made Azerbaijan much more powerful. The state administration always gives prior attention to this sphere – in 2008, defence expences which increased to 65%, constituted 1,34 billion manat, in 2009 all military expences constituted 1,63 billion manat. This is big number, but duties are bigger as well: the country should be ready to liberate its original regions by any way, must be much more powerful.
Due to strengthen the defence potentiality of the country there began to the production of 18 defence outputs by the Ministry of Defence.
The activity, directed to the creation of medicine institutions that would reply to high demand continued – during 2003-2008, there were constructed, restored or repairled 289 hospitals, ambulatory specialized dispansers. The creation of medicine service in modern level not only in Baku, but also in the regions is the most important impact to the defence of health of Azerbaijan population.
Essential measures were separated for the improvement of ecological conditions during the same period. At the result of intensive works around Baku port, at the Zone of Bibi-Heybet, environs of international airport named after Heydar Aliyev, polluted with oil and other production remainings turned into green avenues. The construction of Oghuz-Gabala-Baku water pipeline, which will provide the city of Baku with fresh and clean water is continuing and along with this, there were exploited water-refinery constructions in 60 villages. The country gives special attention to the provision of food security of population.
There was given great attention to transport infrastructure and its completing. On March 10, 2004, there was given the name of Heydar Aliyev to the international Airport of Baku, on March 23, there was organized ceremonical opening of luggage of international Airport of Baku, named after H.Aliyev, which was included to the line of 10 best ones in Europe by the participation of President Ilham Aliyev. On May 12, 2004, there was exploited international Airport in Nakhichevan, On October 31, 2006, in Ganja, in 2008, in Lenkoran and in Zagatala.
Generally in latest five years there were either constructed or reconstructed on the ground of modern technology more than 800 km automobile roads, 10 bridges and passages in the country.
The sphere of provision of electric telephone network were reached to 83,1% in the republic and the number of abonents of mobile connection practically equals to the number of the population of the country. Generally, there was put investment in an amount of 775,4 million manat in the section of telecommunication and the number of users of computers and web browser in 2,2 and 2,3 times during latest five years.
The achievements in building industry were essential – besides of tens of modern high buildings with improved planning in Baku and in other big cities, there were exploited houses for refugees, families of myrters and disabled persons of Karabakh war, sport olympyc complexes in Barda, Quba, Lenkoran, Shamakha, Masalli, stadium with 15 thousand places in the region of Lenkoran.
There was continuing work on improvement of road infrastructure – in these years there were constructed hundred kilometers roads, bridges, underground and upground passages, replying to international standards.
During the mentioned period there were succeeded essential achievements in the development of healthcare, education, science and culture along with the development of economy in the Republic. The signed orders by the leader of the state were directed to the improvement of material condition of workers on boudget organizations engaging in these spheres. The President Ilham Aliyev personally participated in ceremonical events on the opening of new or repaired objects of education, science, sport, enterprises of industrial and agrarian appointment not only in Baku, but also in the regions of the country.
It is important to mention the role of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the development of science, education, culture, healthcare and sport.
The leader of the foundation, the deputy of Milli Mejlis – Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva always keeps under her consideration the problems of orphanages, school-internats, the families of refugees and obligatory immigrants. By her personal initiative and direct participation there was compiled “Programme of development of school-internats and orphanages” by material support of the Foundation of Heydar Aliyev there were built and repaired tens of secondary schools in the capital and regions of the country.
The Foundation of Heydar Aliyev conducts great and useful work in the propaganda of Azerbaijan culture: it organizes and conducts music of festivals in the country with the participation of prominent figures of the world culture, contributes to the education of talented representatives of Azerbaijan youth in the best world centres of music culture and decorative art, their participation in prestige international and regional contests.
The Azerbaijan Republic gives special attention year by year to widening the relations with our citizens living in foreign countries and to guarantee the unity and solidarity between them.
On June 5, 2011, in Baku has carried out the 3rd Congress of World’s Azerbaijanis. At the same Congress participated 1272 members from 42 countries and Ilham Aliyev the president of Azerbaijan Republic was elected the chairman of the Council of World’s Azerbaijanis Association.
On October 25, 2011, for the first time Azerbaijan Republic collected the voice of 155 countries that considers the members of UNO and elected non-constant member of Security Council of UNO the most famous international organization. Since January, 2012, the Azerbaijan Republic as one of 10 of non-constant member of Security Council of UNO with high successes conducted its duties.
Ilham Aliyev the president of Azerbaijan Republic has participated in the World Economic Forum that carried out in Davos of Norway in January of 2014.
On May of 2014s, Ilham Aliyev the leader of Azerbaijan Republic was in an official visit in China Public Republic and with the same official visit started the new cooperation stage between two countries.
