Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation Representatives visited CESD

Matthias Jobelius, director of South Caucasus Coordination Office and Rashad Huseynli Liaison Officer for Azerbaijan visited Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) office on October, 06, 2009. Dr. Vugar Bayramov, chairman of Board, and Elchin Rashidov, Board member, welcomed Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation Representatives and spoke about CESD activities. Mr. Rashidov mentioned that the center was established in 2005 by experienced economists and social work specialists (graduates of western universities).  CESD provides theoretical and practical research and programs to address contemporary economic and social problems. CESD is implementing programs related to Capacity Building and Training SCO Leaders in Azerbaijan; modeling of managing of resource revenues in oil-rich CAREC countries; study of electricity export capacity of Azerbaijan within the region countries; strategy and policy recommendations; monitoring of tenders in oil sector and improve government accountability and etc. Addressing recent successes Mr. Rashidov said that center has produced anti-crisis strategy (http://www.cesd.az/crisisproposal.doc) which was first in the country, focusing real and financial sectors, including the fiscal and monetary strategies, addressing multiple subsectors, large reflection in the media and among stakeholders and some recommendation adopted by the Government of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, CESD recommendations on tax code which addressing to decrease profit tax from 22 % to 20 %, to decrease maximum tax rate for income tax, to have reforms towards unified tax code, to do reforms for tax system simplification were approved by Parliament on June, 19, 2009.  Number of partners and donors of the center have been dramatically increased last years. The CESD has recently adapted fundraising policy.