Azerbaijan, ADB discuss development priorities for next four years

On April 23, Sahil Babayev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Finance and Member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), held a meeting with Ms. Rachel Thompson, the Executive Director representing Azerbaijan on the ADB Board of Directors.

The meeting highlighted the importance of long-term successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ADB. The two sides discussed the ADB Country Partnership Strategy for 2025–2029, which is currently under review, and future lending programs aligned with the government’s priorities.

Minister Babayev emphasized the value of ADB's support for government projects based on the country's development needs and reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to being an active participant in the ADB's social initiatives and poverty reduction efforts.

The meeting also covered future cooperation areas, such as the expansion of the Baku Metro, transport infrastructure projects, drinking water supply, water loss reduction, stormwater management in Baku and its surrounding areas, and railway infrastructure modernization.

In a separate meeting with Ms. Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, Head of ADB's Permanent Mission to Azerbaijan, Minister Babayev praised the bank's mission for its role in identifying the country's needs and coordinating cooperation. Ms. Durrani-Jamal reiterated ADB's readiness to further expand cooperation with Azerbaijan and support the nation’s development priorities as an important and reliable partner.