Azerbaijan

GIZ local staff

National employees: 28
International employees: 6
_{(as at: 31.12.2022)}  

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ has been supporting Azerbaijan’s transition to a more market-oriented economy and democracy since 1995. We have maintained a country office in Baku since July 2007. 

Azerbaijan’s economic upturn is unparalleled in the region. Major oil and gas reserves have helped the country to achieve high rates of GDP growth in recent years, but have also hampered successful diversification of the private sector.
If the country is to maintain its prosperity when the oil runs out, it must build a competitive industrial base and a fully developed services sector outside the oil and gas industry. Diversification of the non-oil sector is therefore one of the objectives which the Government of Azerbaijan has set itself. It is also important to build capacities and improve performance in the justice system and public sector.

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is confronting Azerbaijan with new challenges. Firstly, the country is aiming to move closer to European structures, in part by aligning with EU norms and standards. Secondly, local and regional infrastructures must be modernised in order to improve living conditions.

We are assisting the Government of Azerbaijan in establishing an economic and legal environment which is conducive to private sector development (sustainable economic development). The primary goal is to reduce poverty by creating sustainable and broad-impact employment and income opportunities.
We are contributing to crisis prevention in the South Caucasus region via the German Government's Caucasus Initiative. Most projects and programmes in the priority areas are therefore being implemented on a transnational basis in all three countries of the South Caucasus.

Priority areas of cooperation are:

• Sustainable economic development
• Democracy, municipal development and the rule of law
• Environment and natural resources

Within the framework of BMZ’s Caucasus Initiative, we are implementing programmes and projects in the following areas: sustainable economic development, support for legal and judicial reform, municipal development, and sustainable management of biodiversity in the South Caucasus. In parallel, we are providing support for projects in Azerbaijan which aim to reform public services and establish structures for development cooperation.