Thousands of micro-enterprises to open in Azerbaijan - minister

By Azernews

By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

Minister of Labour and Social Security Sahil Babayev stated at the briefing that within the framework of the self-employment program in Azerbaijan, it is planned to create 15,000 micro-enterprises in 2020, Trend reports.

The minister noted that the project is being implemented jointly with the World Bank.

Babayev reminded that the self-employment program covered more than 7,000 people last year and up to 10,000 people this year.

He also spoke about the recent social reforms implemented in Azerbaijan. In particular, he mentioned increase in salaries, benefits for refugees and IDPs, as well as restructuring and payment of compensations on problem loans.

The minister stressed that all these upcoming plans and tasks in the social sphere will be implemented, based on the revolutionary nature of the decrees of the Azerbaijani president.

The self-employment program has been implemented in Azerbaijan since 2016. As part of these measures, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan provides low-income families with various assets (goods, materials, livestock) so that they can start their small business.

Last year, 7,000 citizens of the country were attracted to participate in the program. Some 42 million manats were provided for financing the self-employment program this year (35 million manats last year).

Moreover, big contribution to development and support of small business in Azerbaijan is being made by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency under the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan which was established by decree of the President of Azerbaijan dated December 28, 2017.

The task of the Agency is to ensure the succession of reforms, as well as the improvement of the business regulation system and the application of effective coordination, enhancing the role and competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses in the country's economy, and the compliance of the management system in this area with modern requirements.

In addition, speaking about self-employment, it’s important to note that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his closing speech at a conference on the results of the implementation of the State Program on the socio-economic development of the regions of Azerbaijan in 2014-2018 said that establishment of the centers "ABAD" - Easy support for family business is a very positive phenomenon.