Business

UNDP, Labor Ministry sign for social protection

By Azernews Staff

Azeri Labor Minister Ali Nagiyev and the UNDP Representative in Baku, UN Resident Coordinator Marco Borsotti have signed a draft document for the Development of a National Social Protection System.

The two-year project, prepared by the UNDP at the request of the Azeri Ministry of Labor and Social Security, aims to improve the social protection of the most vulnerable groups of population, including disabled, martyr families, war invalids, refugees and internally displaced persons, unemployed, street children, etc.

The plan will undertake a number of relevant measures, such as clear identification of the most vulnerable groups to enable better targeting of assistance, development of relevant poverty alleviation policy steps, including an employment policy for the disadvantaged and opening new jobs, setting up of well-equipped centers that would offer rehabilitation for disabled youth and war invalids, monitoring the situation with child labor.

The total budget of the project is 1,200,000 US dollars, which will be covered by the Azeri Labor Ministry and the UNDP equally.

Bilateral relations in focus

Azeri and Uzbek vice-premiers signed three agreements on scientific and technical cooperation in hydrometeorology, agriculture and veterinary Friday.

The signing clinched the fifth meeting of the Azeri-Uzbek Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Development held at the Gulistan Palace of Baku.

The Baku meeting centered on the prospects of commercial, economic and cultural cooperation.

Growth in trade

Addressing the meeting, the co-chairman of the commission and the First Vice-Premier of Azerbaijan Abbas Abbasov voiced his satisfaction with the successful implementation of the latest meeting's protocol. He noted the growth in bilateral trade turnover, which reached 12,3mln US dollars over the six months this year, or 24.7 percent more than the same period of last year.

Chemical and metallurgy products and machinery were exported to Uzbekistan, while pharmaceuticals and agricultural equipment were imported.

The Azeri Vice-Premier stressed the immense potential for further expansion of bilateral cooperation.

In his turn, Uzbek Vice-Premier and the co-chairman of the commission Rustam Yunusov supported his Azeri counterpart, saying that the parties should meet more often to resolve arising problems.

The commission instructed railway entities to cut tariffs in two months.

‘No debts’

Azeri Vice-Premier Abbas Abbasov said his country does not owe to Uzbekistan.

The bulk of its debt totaling 1,240,000 US dollars in 1992-1994 has been repaid, while the remaining 520,000 US dollars were reimbursed to Uzbekistan as chemical products, he was quoted as saying. But, Uzbek government has calculated these supplies as economic debt, but not mutual repayment.

The Friday meeting of the Azeri-Uzbek intergovernmental commission has decided that Uzbekistan transfer 520,000 US dollars to Azerbaijan's account before 1 October, while the latter would repay the amount back as its debt. According to the Azeri official, the procedure will take 2 months.

Traseca cargo hike

Uzbek and Azeri Vice-Premiers Rustam Yunusov and Abbas Abbasov also mulled the Uzbek proposal to increase the volume of cargoes transported from Europe to Central Asia through the Great Silk Road via Azerbaijan.

Mr. Abbasov has termed the proposal very profitable for Azerbaijan at a news conference in Baku, as the volume of transportation is expected to surge three or four times.

The parties have also reached agreement to hold consultations in working groups of representatives from relevant entities of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to refurbish terminals, ports and roads.

Energy prices to rise, but gradually

Director of the Second European Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) John Odling-Smi has held a news conference at the Ministry of Finance on his three-day visit to Baku.

Mr. Odling-Smi said he had held important meetings with Azeri authorities and President Aliyev to discuss the privatization of the International Bank, fixing of domestic energy prices in conformity with their world precedents and funding of the BTC.

The IMF executive voiced his satisfaction with the activities of the Azerbaijan State Oil Fund (ASOF), but opposed allocations from the ASOF to fund the BTC, a project the IMF says is commercial.

Touching upon the privatization of the International Bank, he said both the Azeri government and he believe the issue should be resolved soon.

On bringing energy prices into conformity with world standards, the government has promised to consider the issue step-by-step to avoid public concerns, Mr. Odling-Smi concluded.

Baku, Kiev to sign agreements

A Ukrainian delegation led by First Vice-Premier Oleg Dubina is expected to visit Baku to attend a meeting of the Azeri-Ukrainian intergovernmental economic commission on 29 August. The parties will discuss commercial and economic cooperation and sign a number of intergovernmental agreements, Azeri First Vice-Premier Abbas Abbasov has told a news conference.

State agriculture boost plan ready

The Ministry of Economic Development has prepared a draft state program on development of agricultural sector in Azerbaijan for 2002-2006. The draft aims to increase land productivity, ensure production competitiveness, stimulate manufacturers, provide processing and food industry with primary goods, and meet public needs for foodstuff.

The plan has taken on board all remarks by relevant government entities and specialists.

Its implementation would enable to accelerate agricultural growth, meet domestic need for food and enhance the living standards of those involved in agriculture, the Ministry's press service was quoted by AssA-Irada as saying.

Comm Ministry, Russian TVs to sign deals

Teleradio production association of the Azeri Ministry of Communications and Russian State RTR TV Radio Company are expected to sign an agreement in Moscow soon to relay the Russian channel's broadcasts in Azerbaijan. Inking the document on behalf of Azerbaijan will be Chief of Baku’s TV Tower Baxis Baxisov, according to the ministry.

Agreement has already been reached on technical and organizational issues to broadcast RTR, as well as Russia and Mayak radios in Azerbaijan.

Moreover, a representative from another Russian TV ORT is expected to visit Baku. The parties are supposed to complete negotiations and sign agreements with RTR and ORT during the visit of the Azeri official to Moscow. All negotiations will be held and agreements signed as part of the Azeri-Russian intergovernmental agreement. The Azeri side will also discuss with representatives from Russian TV channels their arrears, as ORT owes 179,000 US dollars and RTR 118,000 US dollars for broadcasts in Azerbaijan. Another Russian channel NTV suspended its broadcast in Azerbaijan a few months ago because of its debts and is now refusing to negotiate with Azeri Teleradio or state bodies, according to the ministry. To replace NTV, Azerbaijan is planning to start talks with Russian Culture TV.

Grain deficit not in store

Azerbaijan is not expected to face grain shortage, first Vice-Premier Abbas Abbasov has told journalists. Commenting on the prognoses for grain deficits this year due to fires in grain fields, Mr. Abbasov said the harvest would be higher than 2001, when 2,700,000 tons of grain was collected.

According to him, the commission led by the Premier is currently investigating the damage caused by grain fields fires.