Azerbaijan and ADB Unveil Forward-Looking Partnership Strategy for 2025-2029
Azerbaijan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have unveiled a forward-looking Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2025-2029, reaffirming their long-standing partnership and commitment to the country's development journey. The new strategy marks a significant shift in priorities, focusing on inclusive, climate-resilient, and innovation-driven growth, as Azerbaijan transitions towards a post-oil economy. The strategy is structured around three pillars: value creation, integration, and resilience, and aims to align with national priorities such as the "Azerbaijan 2030" vision and the Socioeconomic Development Strategy 2022-2026.
Key Takeaways:
- The Azerbaijan 2030 vision and the Socioeconomic Development Strategy 2022-2026 will serve as the guiding frameworks for the 2025-2029 CPS, ensuring that ADB's support is aligned with national priorities.
- The strategy focuses on five key areas:
* Economic resilience through reducing hydrocarbon reliance
* New job creation in growing sectors
* Strengthened innovation and productivity through skills and digital transformation
* Climate commitments and green economy development
- The plan aims to grow the share of renewable energy from 20.3% to 42.5% by 2035 and support climate-resilient infrastructure, green finance, and water resource management
- The strategy promotes social inclusion and human capital development, with a focus on education, healthcare, and social protection
- ADB's CPS supports the growth of the financial sector, particularly in supporting SMEs, and expanding access to formal savings and credit systems, particularly for women and rural communities
- The strategy aims to improve public financial management, making sure public resources are used effectively and transparently, and support the improvement of the tax-to-GDP ratio
- Azerbaijan has maintained a low poverty rate of 5.3%, and ADB is helping build on that progress through targeted investments
Statistics:
- Azerbaijan's GDP per capita has risen from $663 in 2000 to $7,284 in 2024
- The country's oil and gas sector continues to play a central role in the economy, but the government's efforts to diversify are showing promising signs
- The National Climate Adaptation Plan was adopted in 2024
- Trade volumes are increasing along CAREC Corridor 2
- The tax-to-GDP ratio increased from 14.4% to 17.5% between 2019 and 2024
Sources:
- Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- Azerbaijan's Government
- CAREC Program
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- World Bank