Speech by Ilham Aliyev at a meeting with residents of Gobustan settlement of Garadagh district

I am saluting you, hello. Relevant instructions have been issued regarding the development of the Gobustan settlement. Work has now begun. At the first stage we will build roads because there is a great need for that. Almost all the roads in Gobustan are earth roads. There is no asphalt, there wasn’t asphalt in the past either. Of course, this creates great difficulties because roads become impassible in rain and snow. On my way here I saw that roads on the right and left are earth roads. Therefore, we are starting this work today. All the roads will be asphalted. This work has been divided in stages and certain work is to be done at each stage.

In general, appropriate instructions have been issued regarding the development of Baku settlements. Early last month we held an expanded meeting, issued instructions and prepared a program. This month the program will be approved and all infrastructure and social issues will be resolved as a result of its implementation.

But roads come first, because there is the biggest need for that. Then lampposts will be installed. Local roads remain practically unlit and it is dark in the evening. As for social facilities, I am told there is a need for school construction. The hospital is in an extremely deplorable condition. I can confirm that it is in an unbearable plight. We will resolve these issues quickly.

Overall, there is extensive creative work under way in the country. There are special programs for each region, for each district. Therefore, we must certainly take even more serious measures to develop suburban settlements of Baku.

Certain work has been done in recent years. Projects on the construction of schools and medical facilities have been implemented. Even larger-scale work must be carried out in the coming years. The Baku-Alat road now meets the highest international standards. Even lighting poles are being installed. Although there is no lighting on trunk roads elsewhere in the world, we are doing that. Roads within settlements must be like that too. Local roads must be in good condition. In other words, we are doing everything for the comfort, work and good life of our people. This is the first step. Even more will be done afterwards. I want to repeat that the program to be adopted will cover all the settlements, and a separate schedule of work will be prepared for each settlement. This means a lot of work, because there are more than 40 settlements around Baku. They have a population of over 800,000 people. As I have already said, these settlements are as big as a whole city, so to speak. Of course, this work will require significant funds and time. But I want us to do all this work in the shortest possible time. Of course, a lot will depend on the activities of local executive authorities. At the same time, residents of settlements must join these wonderful initiatives, actively participate in them, make comments and suggestions as to which issues must be resolved first, what issues are of great concern, what we need to rectify and what else we must do. In other words, there must be this communication, so that we could receive complete information and know the sequence in which to do the work.

I have come here today to examine the start of the work, hear your suggestions as to what we must do to ensure that the work is done quickly and with maximum efficiency.