Azerbaijan 2020: A vision of the future.

The Azerbaijan 2020 is a national policy with a multi-sectoral approach. The main strategic goal of the policy is to achieve an economically and politically developed, competitive Azerbaijan, taking into account the available economic, social, and political resources, through sustainable economic growth, higher level of social welfare, effective state administration and the rule of law, and full provision of all rights and freedoms of people.
A highly competitive economy will be achieved through the formation of an economic model based on efficient state regulation and advanced market relations. Measures will be taken to further improve the business environment and competitiveness, and mechanisms for protecting investors' rights will be improved. Foreign trade procedures will be simplified, and state support to entrepreneurs in accessing international markets and increasing competitiveness in foreign markets will be provided. The export capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises will be increased. Preferential loans will be provided by the state to businesses. Protective measures adopted in international practice will be implemented to protect the domestic market from unfair competition.
The economic structure in the oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors will be improved to attract the necessary investments, comply with environmental regulations, establish a technological chain up to the production of the final product, increase the competitiveness of the finished product, and expand the volume and range of exports in this area. For the development of the non-oil sector, the involvement of the country's natural and economic resources in the economic cycle will be expanded and the efficiency of their use will be increased. In order to intensify the attraction of domestic and foreign investments in the country's non-oil sector, stimulating mechanisms will be applied. The cooperation between the public and private sectors on investment will be strengthened in order to develop the export-oriented non-oil sector.
In order to ensure food security, special attention will be paid to the production and processing of agricultural products, and measures will be implemented for increasing the production capacity of existing agro-processing enterprises and creating new such enterprises through the application of modern technologies. Agricultural and rural development will be ensured through continuous state support to stimulate the intensive and efficient development of the agriculture sector; allocation of funds and credit to this sector; improvement of agricultural insurance mechanism; development of land resources; supporting cooperatives; strengthening measures to improve reclamation and irrigation, to prevent soil erosion and salinization of irrigated farmlands, and to increase fertility; promoting organic agriculture; protecting genetic resources and biological diversity; improving nursery, seed growing and livestock breeding; supply of agricultural producers with modern machinery, technological equipment, fertilizers, seeds and seedlings; agricultural extension; prevention of crop losses; protection of the domestic market and increase of export potential; and international cooperation in the fields of veterinary and phytosanitary measures.
Innovation will be supported by improving scientific infrastructure and modernizing the material and technical base of science. Information and communication technologies will be developed and the transition to the information society will be ensured. The quality healthcare and education services will be provided to the population in the country and accessibility of these services to various social groups, including low-income families and poor citizens, will be prioritized. This policy lays down strategies for strengthening social protection system. It also addresses gender equality with an emphasis on the prevention of gender-based violence, creation of equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market, and further expansion of opportunities for women to be promoted at work and hold leadership positions.
One of the main goals of the policy is to achieve environmentally sustainable socio-economic development. Measures will be taken to conserve biodiversity, protect the environment, prevent pollution, and protect natural resources. National standards will be developed and applied in accordance with European standards for hazardous substances released into the atmosphere. Waste prevention will be strengthened through recycling, reuse, as well as the application of low-waste or no-waste technologies. Soil conservation will be strengthened and measures will be taken to prevent erosion and flood. It addresses hygiene and sanitation, and underlines the importance of providing water services and sewage system to the population. The legal framework on environmental protection will be improved in accordance with advanced international practice, and effective monitoring and control mechanisms will be established.