The creation of the Shakhdag national park in northern Azerbaijan, on the border with Russia and Georgia, will help address ecological issues and build a tourist infrastructure in the region, said Agi Kiss, a World Bank manager.

Grigory Yedzheichak, the World Bank director for Azerbaijan, said the World Bank had allocated a $17 mln loan and $8 mln grant for the national park's creation, while the government of Japan has provided $8 million as a grant for the project implementation. RIA Novosti