REPUBLIC of AZERBAIJAN UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Azerbaijan Trends of improving the competitiveness of regional economy (An example of Lankaran economic region) BAKI - 2009 AZ 1011, Republic of Azerbaijan, Baku city, H.Zardabi Avenue, 88a Telefon/Faks: +994 12 4300215, E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.ier.az UN Development Program (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One of the main goals of the economic policy carried out in the Azerbaijan Republic in recent years has been to achieve the social and economic development of the regions. A wide range of activities has been implemented in country to support this goal and this process is still underway. In order to promote the high social and economic development of the regions in country, to further improve the people’s living standards, to enhance the effectiveness of using the current capacity in regions, to ensure the creation of new jobs, the development of various fields of industry, as well as the agrarian sector, the expansion of processing agricultural products, and to implement other sets of activities, the President of the Azerbaijan Republic approved the State Program on Social-Economic Development of the Regions in the Azerbaijan Republic (2004-2008) on February 11, 2004, and the State Program on Social-Economic Development of the Regions in the Azerbaijan Republic (2009-2013) on April 14, 2009.