Ilham Aliyev attended a ceremony to mark the supply of drinking water to Ismayilli city

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a ceremony to mark the supply of drinking water to Ismayilli city.

First, the head of state met with representatives of the district public.

Greeting the ceremony participants, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- This is a great event! We are celebrating the supply of drinking water to Ismayilli. I congratulate you on this occasion!

This is a very important and major project. Water is vital for people. I am glad that a drinking water and sanitation project is also implemented in Ismayilli. We will celebrate the supply of water, after which the issue of supplying the city of Ismayilli with clean drinking water will be finally resolved.

Other infrastructure projects are being implemented as well. Gasification has also been carried out successfully. The city is completely gasified and the process is now under way in the villages. These are key infrastructure projects we are implementing.

I am glad that things are going well in Ismayilli in this direction. The district is developing. There are great changes.

I am sure that the district will continue to develop at this pace and that all the issues existing in the district will be addressed and resolved.

Infrastructure projects are being implemented. Issues of employment are being addressed. Today we will celebrate the opening of a new garment factory. There is a specific plan of activities related to the integrated development of the district.

The new leadership of the district has got down to business very actively and enthusiastically. The new leadership has been tasked with a number of goals. First of all, we have to accelerate the socioeconomic development of the district, and we are already seeing that. At the same time, we should resolve issues of concern for the people. It is necessary to be very attentive and sensitive to people’s concerns. These are the main tasks I put in front of all heads of executive authorities. Every civil servant and every executive should first of all serve the people, be aware of their concerns and do everything possible to create a comfortable life for them. This is our policy. Citizens of Azerbaijan are at the heart of our policy. This project is purely social in nature. Large investment has been made in it. The construction of gas and water supply lines, sewage, roads and social facilities require major resources. Azerbaijan allocates these funds from the state budget in order to create better opportunities for a comfortable life.

Social policy is the pivotal issue. Social policy is not limited to the construction of social facilities. Social policy means that people must be at the center of our policy. And this is the case – we are doing just that. We channel our economic power into the social sphere and have a comprehensive approach to these issues. There is extensive construction of schools and hospitals. A hospital is also under construction in Ismayilli and it will be opened in the near future. There are also water supply projects and other social initiatives. Of course, the new leadership of the district was also tasked with transforming Ismayilli into a modern city. Extensive creative and landscaping work is under way here. We are expanding the roads and constructing beautiful buildings. This is only the first phase of the work. I am sure that this high pace will be maintained and Ismayill will soon become one of the most advanced districts of our country. The district has its own resources and major potential. It is home to hard-working and patriotic people. There is state concern, public funds are allocated. At the same time, the private sector is actively involved in this.

I believe that this approach is the precondition for the progress our country has made in recent years.

State investment, support for the private enterprise and the attention private entities are paying both to the business and social spheres are contributing to the creation of an entirely new atmosphere. I am sure that from now on Ismayilli will be only developing, have great achievements, its people will live in prosperity and further strengthen our state with their work.

There are opportunities to turn Ismayilli into a modern center of tourism – it has beautiful nature and climate, is close to Baku, all of the major issues are being resolved and infrastructure projects implemented. We can’t waste this opportunity. Ismayilli should be the most progressive district. The possibilities for doing that are available.

The state of Azerbaijan is making effort to achieve this. Local executive authorities are working on the basis of new principles, and I know that they are enjoying the support of the local population. The public and its activists must rally around one idea, so that work in the district could go even faster, our country could get even stronger and the state independence of Azerbaijan could be further reinforced.

This project is the result of the steps we have taken in recent years. I want to say again that drinking water is the basic condition for human health. We are doing that, and the number of such beautiful projects will become even greater in the future. Once again, I congratulate you on this wonderful event!

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Expressing his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the attention and support of the socioeconomic development of Ismayilli on behalf of the district public, the principal of the Talistan secondary school, Aydin Azizov, said:

- Dear Mr. President!

We, the representatives of the intelligentsia, are seeing that you are doing tremendous work and implementing major structural transformation in all our regions. All of this serves the well-being of our people and aims to further improve their lives. Today, a large number of projects benefiting our people are implemented in Ismayilli. They are aimed at improving people’s lives. You always emphasize: I want people to live well and to have opportunities, and we will strive to do that. The work you are carrying out to achieve these goals is yielding results in Ismayilli today. We are witnessing that.

The grateful people of Ismayilli will never forget that and always remember these meetings with great reverence.

Thank you!

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President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Thank you! Thank you for your kind words. I will try to continue justifying people’s confidence. There is still much to do. Indeed, our improving cities and villages are the realities of the present day.

Many countries in the world are in crisis. Some countries have been unable to get out of this crisis for four to five years.

The crisis has led to an economic downturn, the curtailment of social programs and job-cutting. But in Azerbaijan, we see a completely different picture. Azerbaijan is developing. All the economic indicators are at the highest level now.

In the first six months of this year, our non-oil sector grew by 11 per cent. The overall economic growth made up 5 per cent. Jobs have been created. Creative work has been undertaken in the countryside, infrastructure projects have been implemented. Not a single project of social infrastructure has been reversed in Azerbaijan. All these water supply projects require a lot of money.

I remember encountering some difficulties in the implementation of such projects and obtaining loans from abroad just a few years ago. In other words, international financial institutions did not show too much interest in providing loans in those days, especially for social projects, because the money invested in these projects will never be recovered.

But today, as a result of economic reforms, we have managed to create a strong economic base, which allows us the opportunity not to borrow from abroad but even provide loans to some countries. We provide loans to international financial institutions, which ensures our interests from economic and political points of view.

Azerbaijan is a regional leader. This is recognized by the international community. Azerbaijan enjoys great authority on a global scale and is a member of the most prestigious structure in the world – the UN Security Council. We are a country that is showing an example in the area of economic reforms. I know that the reforms ongoing in Azerbaijani regions and our experience related to regional development programs are studied in other countries. How have we achieved this?

How did we revive the regions?

There is still much to do. There are districts where things are going very well. But there are also districts where things are slightly poorer. So I try to regularly visit all the districts to see firs hand how things are going.

In some cases, representatives of local executive authorities do not do their job properly. Sometimes they can’t behave.

Their family members and themselves hurt and annoy people, do inappropriate things and act immodestly. In such cases, of course, we are and will be taking drastic measures.

I have identified the key requirements I set before all government officials. I want to say again – it is necessary to be faithful to the motherland and serve the people in a dedicated and selfless manner. All officials must know that they have taken this position in order to serve the people, including myself. I am in this post only to serve the people. All government officials must be aware of their responsibility, work for the country and the people. If these principles are followed everywhere, at every level, then our country will go ahead even faster.

The success we have achieved over the last 10 years can’t be replicated elsewhere. If we take the statistics of the past year and the work we have done, we can see that there is no other country in the world that has reached Azerbaijan’s level of development in the economic and indeed all other areas. But we must not be complacent with that. We can and should do even more. We have hard-working people, there is unity between the government and the people, and there is a state policy. Citizens of Azerbaijan are at the heart of this policy. We have a beautiful country, beautiful nature, natural resources and excellent infrastructure. In the future, Azerbaijan should go ahead even faster.

The development of our regions will facilitate the overall development of our country in the future. Natural resources still account for the major part of the economy. But in 10 or 20 years, perhaps earlier, the non-oil sector will form the main part of our economy. This process has already begun. The main part of our economy is formed in the non-oil sector now.

But the share of the non-oil sector is expected to increase even more in the future. Therefore, the problems associated with jobs, agriculture, light industry and infrastructure projects should be resolved in every region, in every village and in every city. Then all the problems in the country will be resolved.

The current realities of Azerbaijan demonstrate the advantages of our independence again. Azerbaijan has never been as strong before. The main premise of this is our independence. Independence is the greatest asset. Every citizen must defend independence and contribute to it by hard work. We have to make sure that Azerbaijan always continues the path of development. I am sure that there is great support for all these initiatives in Ismayilli. Our citizens are well aware of all of this and will strengthen both the region and our country by their work. I congratulate you again!

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Then the President had a chat with representatives of the local public.

President Ilham Aliyev: What was water supply like before? How many hours a day did you have water supply?

RESIDENT: Two hours.

President Ilham Aliyev: Two hours, and you had to collect water. And how many hours will you have water now?

Ahmad Ahmadzadeh: Twenty-four hours. Mr. President, we needed 64 liters of water, and this source has more than 100 liters.

President Ilham Aliyev: This is more.

Ahmad Ahmadzadeh: Yes, Mr. President, it is more.

President Ilham Aliyev: Besides, it is good water.

Ahmad Ahmadzadeh: It is water from a mountain river.

President Ilham Aliyev: Very good. Gasification has also been carried out completely. Is gas supplied at normal pressure?

RESIDENTS: Yes, we have no problem.

President Ilham Aliyev: What else needs to be done?

Head of the Executive Authority Mirdamet Sadigov: Thank you, Mr. President! You have given the instruction on job creation and construction of infrastructure facilities in Ismayilli. Thank you for the opening of a garment factory and a new college in Ismayilli today. The people of Ismayilli had been waiting for this to happen for a long time. In addition, our college will be regional and provide expertise to the neighboring districts. I reported to you about the development of agriculture. We are also ready to join the project to build a new agro-industrial estate. Of course, with your consent! The Ismayilli branch of the “Kur” computer factory has a maintenance department of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In the future, if possible, we plan to conduct negotiations with foreign countries and open a bicycle factory. There is a great need for a bicycle factory in Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev: Very good. We are creating bike tracks in Baku now. There are several tracks on the new boulevard. I know that children and sometimes adults ride bicycles in the mornings and evenings. It is a very good sport. You can consider doing that here too. A comprehensive urban development plan is now being developed. Perhaps it should also provide for bicycle tracks. It wasn’t very common in the past, but it is a great sport and a vehicle. Some countries are using it now.

Mirdamet Sadigov: A large dairy and cattle-breeding complex is under construction in Ismayilli. With the grace of Allah, we will invite you to its opening.

President Ilham Aliyev: I also wanted to ask you about this because large complexes have already been built in neighboring districts.

Mirdamet Sadigov: We have studied their experience and the process of construction.

President Ilham Aliyev: Both dairy and cattle-breeding?

Mirdamet Sadigov: Yes. We have adopted a little broader approach to ensure that jobs are available for rural residents there. There is Keyvendi village 20 km from here. Using a loan of the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support under the Ministry of Economic Development and other government loans, we are building a large complex for 1,500 head there. It will be ready around December.

President Ilham Aliyev: It is a large complex. This is also necessary because a few years ago we set the task of completely providing ourselves with staple foods. On many foods we have achieved 100 per cent security. But in dairy production we still provide ourselves by 73 per cent. Therefore, dairy production should develop, so that we no longer have to buy milk abroad in three to four years from now. Besides, our milk, feed, air and water are of better quality.

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President Ilham Aliyev launched a facility supplying water to the city of Ismayilli.

The project is expected to provide uninterrupted supply of the population of Ismayilli with 180 liters of drinking water per day per person. In addition, four reservoirs have been built. The project has been amended to replace the water treatment plant with a capacity of serving 31,000 people with a more modern one. The construction of the facility is ongoing.

President Ilham Aliyev gave instructions related to the successful completion of the project.