Azerbaijan International Development Agency
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 14, 2011 |
| Headquarters |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building, Azerbaijan, Baku |
| Website | http://www.aida.az |
Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) was established in September 2011 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. AIDA is responsible for the provision of international humanitarian and development assistance by the Republic of Azerbaijan and coordinates activities of all relevant government bodies in this field. AIDA supports the efforts of developing countries through its programs in the areas of poverty reduction, development of science, culture and health, application of information-communication technologies, various scholarship programs, and humanitarian assistance.
AIDA's annual budget is formed by relevant allocations from the state budget. AIDA's activities are structured in line and concurrent with the foreign policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Agency is managed by the Director appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. AIDA's employees are the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. AIDA provides humanitarian and technical assistance to the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. More than 30 countries have benefited from the programs implemented by AIDA.
Humanitarian Assistance
AIDA’s main objective in providing humanitarian assistance is to ensure timely and efficient delivery of aid to the people in need, aimed at improvement of their living conditions. AIDA provides necessary aid to the countries hit by man-made or natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, droughts, and helps the affected population to eliminate the consequences of humanitarian crises and to restore normal living conditions.
Heydar Aliyev Water Supply Scheme, Pakistan
On 4 May 2014, the Heydar Aliyev Water Supply Scheme, implemented on the initiative and under the auspices of the First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Mrs.Mehriban Aliyeva, launched in the Tank district of the Dera Ismail Khan area of Pakistan which historically suffers from the heavy water shortage. The Project was supported AIDA and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Pakistan.
Humanitarian aid for flood affected people, Pakistan
AIDA conducted humanitarian aid campaigns in Multan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Chinniot, Naroval, Sargodha, Mandi Baha-ud-Din, Sialkot, Jhang and Hafizabad cities of Pakistan in 2014, for the purpose of providing humanitarian assistance to the people affected by flood in Southern Punjab and Kashmir provinces of Pakistan. 25000 flood-affected people benefited from this humanitarian aid provided by AIDA.[1]
"Alliance to fight avoidable blindness" campaign
Since 2012, within the frame of strategic cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank, AIDA is co-sponsoring the campaign on "Alliance to fight avoidable blindness" in the African countries. Under the initiative of AIDA, Azerbaijani ophthalmologists participate in the campaign. During 2012-2014, on an annual basis, the campaign was successfully carried out in 9 African countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Djibouti, Guinea, Mali, Libya and Niger where free eye cataract operations were performed. In general, more than 10000 people who have partially or completely lost their eyesight re-gained their health within “Fight Avoidable Blindness Campaign”. The campaign is scheduled to be continued in future.
Gaza
In 2014, AIDA provided assistance to Gaza in the amount of 633,000 USD for recovering the destructions in the result of the armed clashes. The aid was provided via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Earlier, in response to the United Nations Security Council statement of November 21, 2012 on situation in Gaza,[2] which stressed the urgency of suspension of clashes and prevention of sharp deterioration in humanitarian situation by calling upon international community to assist in restoration of peaceful life and to provide humanitarian aid in order to relieve hard living conditions of Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and to satisfy their vital needs, Azerbaijan through AIDA agency provided direct financial aid (100,000 USD) to the population of the Gaza Strip.[3]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
In 2014, the Government of Azerbaijan, through AIDA, provided financial assistance to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in order to eliminate the adverse consequences of floods resulted from heavy rains for the agriculture, energy and other sectors of the country’s economy.
Philippines
In 2013, the Government of Azerbaijan allocated 200,000 USD to the Philippines for the recovery of thedevastating consequences of the Typhoon Haiyan that resulted in loss of thousands of human lives, hundreds of destroyed houses and a severe shortage of food, water and other necessity goods. The aid was provided via the UN World Food Programme and above mentioned amount was spent for meeting the immediate food needs of the affected population.
Syrian refugees
In 2012, AIDA provided direct financial aid to improve living conditions of Syrian refugees, who were forced to leave their homes and found refuge in Amman, Jordan.
Cuba
In 2012, AIDA provided financial aid to Cuba to eliminate the consequences of the hurricane Sandy.
Panama
Financial aid was delivered to Panama for the liquidation of the consequences of humanitarian crisis arising from heavy rains in November 2012.
Burkina Faso
In 2011-2012, in connection with the humanitarian crisis occurred in Burkina Faso in a result of draught, AIDA provided financial aid to Burkina Faso in order to alleviate food shortage and relieve associated crisis in this country after the respective appeal by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Development Assistance
Main objective of AIDA in development assistance is to provide technical assistance to developing countries around the world and to support their sustainable growth in various fields.
Electronic Government Project in Afghanistan
In close cooperation with UNDP, AIDA assists Afghanistan in building the system of E-government in order to increase efficiency of governmental agencies in this country.[4][5][6]
Scholarship programme for foreign students
Within the scholarship programme for foreign students, AIDA provides students from developing countries ample opportunity to get education at the high-ranking universities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and all their relevant expenses are met by the Agency. The programme is expected to be continued and broadened, and thus, more foreign students will have the opportunity to receive education in Azerbaijani universities.
Professional development courses and workshops
AIDA, together with Azerbaijan's universities, scientific and research institutes arranges capacity-building courses and workshops in various areas for specialists from developing countries to facilitate growth of human capital in those countries.[7]
References
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ↑ http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/sc10829.doc.htm
- ↑ http://mfa.gov.az/?language=az&options=content&id=725
- ↑ http://en.apa.az/news_azerbaijan_provides_financial_aid_to_afg_185995.html
- ↑ http://www.financetime.info/english/news/news-view.php?id=2959
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
- ↑ http://mfa.gov.az/?language=az&options=content&id=664