Dear President Aliyev,

It is my pleasure to congratulate you on winning the presidential elections. It is clear from your past two terms in office that the people of Azerbaijan have greatly benefited from your service.

Your leadership has brought stability and unprecedented economic growth to Azerbaijan, which even the global financial crisis has not held back. This of course has been no easy task in today`s complex world, but your government`s prudent policies have built a competitive economy that is a model for the region. I would also like to commend you on your efforts to diversify away from hydrocarbons and focus on the sectors of the future, such as information technologies and telecommunications.

I value the close relations between the World Economic Forum and the Government of Azerbaijan, and it has been my pleasure to welcome you to our annual meetings over the years to discuss the most pressing issues and seek innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.

I look forward to seeing you in Davos in January.

Yours sincerely,

Claus Schwab
Founder and Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum