Azerbaijan to accelerate implementation of strategic investment projects - DETAILS

A favorable investment climate has been created in Azerbaijan — stability, successful reforms, a sound legislative framework, and other important factors are increasing Azerbaijan's investment attractiveness.

A favorable and sustainable environment for the development of competitive industrial production has been established in the industrial zones operating in the country. To this end, residents are given the opportunity to operate in areas fully provided by the state with the necessary engineering and communications infrastructure — electricity, gas, water, roads, communications, and other services.

A wide range of tax and customs incentives is provided for residents of industrial parks. Thus, they are exempt from profit, property, and land taxes for a period of 10 years from the date of registration. At the same time, machinery, technological equipment, and installations imported for production purposes are exempt from value added tax and customs duties for a period of 10 years. These and other factors ensure a steady inflow of investment into the country. This is also reflected in the statistical indicators.

According to data from the State Statistics Committee, in January–July of this year the volume of investment in Azerbaijan's non-oil and gas sector increased by 1.9% in real terms compared with the same period last year and amounted to 7 billion 403.3 million manats.

Along with increasing the inflow of investment into the country, more effective selection and prioritization of investment projects, as well as accelerating their implementation, are of particular importance. It is precisely this need that has led to the formation of a new institutional mechanism in Azerbaijan's investment policy. By a decree of the Cabinet of Ministers dated June 1, 2026, a Commission was established to ensure the accelerated implementation of strategic investment projects of particular importance for the country's economy, the application of a unified approach to the planning and implementation of projects, as well as the strengthening of interagency coordination.

It should be noted that the initial list of strategic investment projects is determined by the Ministry of Economy, after which the list of potential investment projects is submitted to the Commission for consideration. The Commission will carry out the selection and evaluation of strategic investment projects within the framework of a "fast-track" mechanism on the basis of objective analytical criteria, which will make it possible to reduce the implementation timelines of major investment projects by approximately 30–40%.

The essence of the new mechanism lies in implementing strategically significant investment projects on the basis of a more coordinated and unified approach. The implementation of major investment projects covers a whole range of issues. Their execution requires prompt and coordinated decision-making in such areas as land relations, infrastructure, energy supply, construction, ecology, customs and tax regulation, transport, and other spheres.

That is precisely why the inclusion in the Commission of representatives of state bodies responsible for the economy, finance, energy, ecology, justice, labor, emergency situations, agriculture, digital development and transport, customs regulation, urban planning, and other areas is of particular importance. Such broad institutional representation will make it possible to consider strategic projects from various aspects and will ensure more prompt coordination of numerous issues among different state structures.

Thus, the "fast-track" mechanism, which will be applied to strategic investment projects, will help increase the speed of their implementation.