Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the ongoing international ecological exhibition “Azerbaijan for a Green World” at the Heydar Aliyev sports-concert complex. The President has declared the preservation of the environment and the creation of healthy ecological conditions to be a priority issue. It is no coincidence that President Ilham Aliyev declared 2010 the Year of Ecology in Azerbaijan. The international ecological exhibition “Azerbaijan for a Green World” was one of the events undertaken within the scope of the Year of Ecology.

The purpose of the exhibition, organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with official support from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, was to familiarize a wider audience with the advanced practices being implemented in our republic and abroad to improve the environment, to exchange experience and to sign agreements on cooperation. About 30 local and foreign companies engaged in the resolution of environmental problems, as well as state bodies and non-governmental organizations, were represented at the exhibition. The exhibition was opened on 16 September and ended on 18 September.

The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Huseynqulu Bagirov, informed President Ilham Aliyev in detail about the exhibition. It was noted that the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources carries out complex measures to improve the environment. Over the last 15 years, forested areas have been extended considerably in Azerbaijan. During the current Year of Ecology, 8,200,000 trees and bushes have been planted in Azerbaijan. Of these, 1,540,000 have been planted around Baku. The Ministry’s Centre for Complex Hydrometeorology and Ecological Research has three mobile meteorological stations functioning at a height of about 3,000 metres. The first Centre for the Restoration and Rehabilitation of Wildlife in the Southern Caucasus has also been established in Azerbaijan. Since 2003, the area of specially protected countryside has been increased from 478,000 to 890,000 hectares.

While reviewing exhibition stands, President Ilham Aliyev was informed that the Israeli ODIS Ltd., with 36 years’ experience in environmental improvement, is engaged in the delivery, installation and servicing of advanced water treatment systems in Azerbaijan. The Caspian Technology Company is a joint German-Danish firm, already with seven years’ work experience in Azerbaijan. Within two pilot projects, the company has established a 2.5 MW wind park in Surabad. A similar device, producing 48 MW, will soon be erected. Turkey’s Ekodenge Environmental Engineering and Consultancy is providing environmental engineering and consultancy services. During a visit to the exhibition stand of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Issues, which became operational this year, it was stated that the agency is implementing a series of measures to produce power from solar, wind, small rivers, biogas and other sources. It is expected that the foundations of a solar technology plant will be laid soon in Sumqayit. The agency also focuses on issues of power efficiency.

British Waterman, also represented at the exhibition, specialises in manufacturing up-to-date equipment, including for the purification of dirty and waste water and for treating drinking water. The company’s small plant in Baku manufactures various devices with spare parts and equipment imported from Britain. The Azerbaijan International Mining Company, from the USA, is mining fine and non-ferrous metals in our republic. Our head of state was informed that ecological issues are given special attention at the company’s gold-mining refinery in Gadabay District.

President Ilham Aliyev also familiarized himself with the exhibition stand of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic, which displayed diverse work by the company to improve the environment. It was stated that, in line with orders and instructions from our head of state, a modern AVRO-2 measurement point had been built and the treatment of oil-polluted land and projects to develop the use of renewable energy are being stepped up, refining devices are being installed on platforms and a range of other projects is being implemented.

The BP Company is also engaged in a number of new environmental improvement projects. In 2009 the company set up a centralized system for secure, reliable and efficient operations. Azerbaijan’s AIMROC Company is mining gold in Daskasan District as well as from the Filizcay deposit in Balakan District. Geological explorations have revealed that the Balakan mine has the world’s richest reserves of copper and zinc ore. The president was also shown machines and mechanisms used in our republic’s ecology sector. After reviewing the exhibition in detail, President Ilham Aliyev thanked the organizers and participants in the show.