On 14 March, members of the Milli Majlis Committee for Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising had a meeting with the World Bank representatives themed ‘the Systematic Country Diagnostics in Azerbaijan: consultations with the stakeholders’.

The parliamentary committee chairman Tahir Mirkishili opened the meeting. He reiterated the interest of our country in the co-operation with the WB and underlined the importance that his specialist committee attached to the studies and projects undertaken by this finance institution. A joint action aiming to streamline economic policy legislation might take on a special kind of importance in light of the difficulties both the global and the national economy have been facing over a few years past, according to Mr Mirkishili.

The WB country manager for Azerbaijan Sarah Michael thanked for the meeting, said that it was her first time at the Milli Majlis and witnessed her immense pleasure of being under its roof. The WB country operations are turning thirty years in 2022, Ms Michael mentioned before expressing a confidence that the bilateral co-operation would be continued successfully.

Sarah Michael let it be known that she was going to present the MPs with the results of the Azerbaijani SCD by the WB at today’s meeting.

Before the presentation, however, the chief operations specialist of the WB office in Azerbaijan Saida Baghirli reminded the assembled that the systematic country diagnostics foreran the composition by the Bank of its multi-area country-specific co-operation strategies. This once, the parliament will be shown the preliminary results of the current SCD, to be followed by consultations with the law-makers.

Then, the lead author Alan Fuchs Tarlovsky tabled the SCD proper and told the MPs of its importance for the work the World Bank does in the country, the preliminary systematic diagnostics findings, the goals and structure of the project and the main challenges identified based on its outcomes.

Discussions followed; there were comments from Tahir Mirkishili, his deputy Ali Masimli and the MPs Vahid Ahmadov, Rufat Guliyev and Vugar Bayramov.

The MPs covered the history of the Azerbaijan-WB interaction, praised the fact that the WB began to collaborate with our country from the very first years of its independence regained, underscored the significance of the Azerbaijan SCD and put across their considerations, remarks and suggestions. The conversation also revolved around economic bolstering in the face of the times’ challenges, bilateral co-operation prospects and other matters of interest to both sides.

The MPs Mahir Abbaszade, Elnur Allahverdiyev and Mazahir Panahov as well as other WB representatives took part in the meeting, too.

The Press and Public Relations Department  
The Milli Majlis