20:13 - 14.06.2018

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June 14, Fineko/abc.az.  A meeting with the World Bank's mission on Research and Strategy, Higher Education and Business Incubators on Workplaces was held at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population (MLSPP).

At the meeting, the minister of labour and social protection of population Sahil Babayev underlined that the improvement of the social security system in our country on the basis of advanced international experience is one of the priorities of the social development course of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev. The minister stressed the importance of projects implemented jointly with the World Bank in the reforms carried out in this direction in the past period.

S.Babayev brought to the attention that a "Social Protection Development Project" implemented jointly with the World Bank in 2008-2015 has contributed to the work done in areas such as strengthening the activities of the MLSPP, ensuring the targetedness of social security programs, creation of information and management system for the proper management of active labour market programs, preparation of professional standards and module training programs and etc. He said that active support was also provided by the World Bank in the drafting of a new Employment Strategy. 

S.Babayev emphasized that complex measures aimed at improving business environment and supporting entrepreneurship with the continuous support of the state in our country led to the expansion of the non-oil sector, successful economic diversification policy has resulted in the creation of new job to be permanent. The minister noted that despite the fact that more than 100,000 eployees are employed in the labour market every year, stability in the labor market has been achieved. Talking about the importance of the World Bank’s Research and Strategy Project on Workplaces in Azerbaijan, S.Babayev said that the project could provide significant support in identifying opportunities and emerging challenges for the creation of inclusive jobs and the drafting of the Employment Strategy.

L. Ersado noted that the mission was carrying out its activities in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population. He pointed out the importance of keeping employment in the forefront of implementation of the policy promoting sustainable economic development in the country and the opening of new jobs is commendable. 
Then, the initial results of the research conducted by the World Bank on the workplaces in Azerbaijan were presented. The achievements obtained towards provision of sustainable economic development, as well as trends in non-oil sector in Azerbaijan, opening of many new jobs, increasing employment opportunities, income from employment, the sharp drop in the level of poverty and so on were also emphasized during the presentation.

The meeting continued with the discussion of preliminary results of the project.