Poverty, corruption impedes stable development

Representatives from NGOs have mulled the possibilities of transition of Azerbaijan to stable development at the training center of the Ministry of Public Health. The participants said the country is developing in a reverse direction and the main obstacle here is pervasive corruption and poverty.

According to an expert, even official sources provide varying information on poverty level in Azerbaijan. Thus, one source say 31% of the population are beyond poverty margin, while the other puts the level between 18 and 23. Actually, the figure is above 70%, NGO representatives said.

Offering facilities for transition to stable development will decrease the risk for catastrophes and irreversible destructive processes within CIS nations.

The facilities are expected to be offered till 2010 under the project for favorable prosperity of culture, life improvement, restoration of natural potential. However, according to experts, this process will take ten years. The project is implemented with financial support from European Commission.

A draft program "On transition of Newly Independent States to stable development" has been worked out by the experts from regional ecological centers of the CIS states.*