American CNN-International airs report on economic boom in Azerbaijan

A brief video report of the CNN “World View” program made by Sevinj Osmanqizi of Azerbaijani TV station ANS deals with the effects of Azerbaijan's economic boom.

The clip shows the massive Sadarak shopping center outside Baku, where a collection of ramshackle market stalls, many of them trading illegally, has been transformed into a modern shopping center with convenient transport links for shoppers from Georgia, Iran and Russia.
The reporter compares Sadarak with the recently opened Park Bulvar shopping center on Baku's seafront boulevard.

Although the center backs onto Neftchilar Avenue, home to exclusive designer boutiques such as Versace, Park Bulvar's prices are still affordable for many people.

Despite the global economic downturn, Azerbaijan managed to finish last year with double digit growth, the reporter underlines.

“With poverty dropped to a record low of 20% and wages doubled, retail and paid services are flourishing in Azerbaijan,” the reporter says.

“Fostering competition and a market based economy is exactly what Azerbaijan is trying to achieve while making the most of the oil boom... The biggest challenge of all is how to make Azerbaijan's economy diverse and sustainable when the oil boom is gone,” the reporter concludes.

The “World View” being one of the long-standing programs in CNN, has been televised since 1987. Since 1988, the program has prepared several programs on Azerbaijan realities. Among them also was the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Khojaly genocide, 20 January tragedy and other themes.

The clip can be seen on CNN's website.

It was broadcast several times by CNN between 10 and 13 July.


/AzerTAc/