No:121/25, Press release on the participation of the Azerbaijani delegation in the high-level meeting of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
21 March 2025 18:35
On 20 March 2025, the 54th high-level meeting of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was held in Paris.
At the event, our country was represented by the Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition to more than 30 traditional donor countries that are members of the DAC, the high-level meeting was attended by more than 50 countries and nearly 15 international organizations in total, including Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Republic of South Africa and India, which are considered participant or partner countries in the Committee.
The aim of this year’s meeting, held on an annual basis, was to discuss ways to improve the quality and results of international development assistance, increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as mobilize additional financial resources for sustainable development.
Speaking at the event, the Head of AIDA, Elmaddin Mehdiyev, provided information on the achievements and significant experience gained by Azerbaijan in the field of international assistance activities as a new donor country. Referring to the active international assistance policy implemented by our country as a reliable member of the international community, he emphasized that the historic outcomes achieved at COP29 are also important for the field of development assistance, and that existing experience in climate finance can also be applied to the financing of development assistance.
Noting that the event on climate action and official development assistance organized jointly by AIDA and OECD DAC within the framework of COP29 attracted great interest, E. Mehdiyev brought to attention that similar initiatives serving to coordinate activities and establish new partnerships will have a positive impact on increasing the effectiveness of development assistance.
Other country representatives who spoke at the event emphasized that official development assistance is under threat against the backdrop of political changes, geopolitical tensions and economic difficulties in the world, that when providing assistance the needs of recipient countries, rather than the foreign policy interests of donor countries, should be taken as a basis, as well as the importance of multilateralism and the necessity of attracting innovative financial resources.
Within the framework of the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation held meetings with senior officials of the OECD DAC, which is considered the most authoritative coordinating and policy-making institution in the field of international development assistance, and exchanged views on the development of mutual cooperation.
