Speech by Ilham Aliyev at a meeting with residents of Zabrat district of Sabunchu region

As you know, socioeconomic problems of suburban settlements of Baku are being resolved. I hope a relevant program will be adopted in April. Some time ago, we held an expanded meeting and identified tasks. The main objective has been to ensure that all socioeconomic problems of Baku settlements are resolved. After the program is adopted, extra funds will certainly be envisaged in the state budget. For this purpose, the state budget will have to be amended, because it was approved last year and this program was not stipulated. After relevant amendments we will begin the implementation of the program within state budget capabilities.

It should be noted that certain work has been done over this period. Construction of schools in settlements was quite intensive, health facilities have been built. The process of electricity and gas supply went ahead. In other words, some work has been done. But I would really like to see this work carried out more intensively and with better quality, so that all the people living in settlements could be provided with necessary conditions. A program that will cover all the settlements is being prepared now. This is a very large program. Currently our settlements are home to over 800,000 people. This is a big city in itself. Those living in settlements, I want to repeat, should be provided at the highest standard. However, considering that this issue should be resolved very quickly, funds have recently been allocated from the Reserve Fund of the President to the Executive Authority of Baku for immediate action to be taken. Today this road is being laid using the said funds. Certain work has already been done. There was no road here at all, there were only earth roads. Therefore, we need to rebuild everything, build all these roads.

Of course, the program will not be limited to road construction. Broad measures will be taken. Problems with gas, electricity and water in the settlement have been resolved. And this is a great achievement. There are problems with sewage, but they will be resolved too. As you know, the landscaping and creative work ongoing in our country have had a positive impact on every region. We have and are implementing a program on the socioeconomic development of regions. At the same time, we expect to start a new stage of the program on the socioeconomic development of suburban settlements of Baku. I think the first phase should cover 2011-2013. However, those preparing the program are already saying that time constraints won’t allow us to resolve all the issues we have outlined in two years. Therefore, perhaps we should also prepare a program that, in addition to 2011-2013, will cover the 2013-2018 period. As a result of this program, all our settlements will have modern infrastructure, apply top standards, and all the issues required for the development of settlements will be resolved.

Besides this, the Ministry of Economic Development has been tasked with creating additional conditions for the business people living in settlements: provide low-interest loans, create jobs, open new enterprises so that there are extra opportunities for eliminating unemployment.

Overall, there is a serious fight against unemployment in our country. New enterprises have been opened in almost every region, there are thousands of new jobs, new plants and factories. This is playing a major role in strengthening our economic and industrial potential today.

I have come here today to see how things are progressing. I do hope that all the instructions given will be fulfilled. I am urging you and residents of all the settlements to send questions regarding this program to the Presidential Administration. If there are issues or concerns, we must know about them so that all the issues are resolved at the proper level.