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Begin New Search Political Geography Azerbaijan Publishing Institution Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)

51. Azerbaijan’s foreign trade; Comparative Analysis

Author:
CESD Research Team
Publication Date:
03-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
The CESD report on Azerbaijan’s foreign trade analyzes challenges and current developments in this sector. The paper reviews how foreign trade relations changed particularly in terms of countries and commodities since the independency. Different sources are referenced in the report in order to comparatively illustrate existing circumstances in above mentioned sector,
Topic:
International Trade and Finance, Oil, Economy, and Trade
Political Geography:
Azerbaijan and South Caucasus

52. Iran's Economy: On the Background of the New Sanctions

Author:
CESD Research Team
Publication Date:
07-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
CESD has produced new paper on Iranian economy on the background of the new sanctions. The paper looks current situation of Iranian economy, potential impacts of new sanctions, Iranian relations with West, neighbors as well as with Azerbaijan. The paper also focuses on social and economic impacts of new sanctions not only on Iranian economy but also Iranian population.
Topic:
International Relations, Sanctions, Population, and Economy
Political Geography:
Iran, Middle East, Azerbaijan, and South Caucasus

53. CESD Anti-Corruption Strategy for the Republic of Azerbaijan

Author:
Vugar Bayramov
Publication Date:
08-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
In the interest of fighting against corruption in an effective and enduring way, the implementation of comprehensive measures is extremely important. As such, the package of anti-corruption measures prepared by the Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) has been developed to strengthen the fight against corruption and bribery and to achieve longlasting results. Corruption acts as an impediment to development in many ways and is a basic concern for many countries around the world. Many usually consider corruption to be the process of bribing officials or the extortion of bribes by officials, while others understand corruption to be theft, misappropriation of state money and wealth, or an individual's personal enrichment achieved by using his/her position. In all of these cases, the existence of corruption in the first place disturbs the construction of a legal state, is detrimental for economic and social development, contributes to the inefficient use of the society’s resources and harms people with low-income. Therefore, the fight against corruption is one of the most important goals set before those countries that have chosen democratic and civil development. In recent years, the government of Azerbaijan has adopted a number of anti-corruption measures, including new laws and programs. The government established the “State Program addressed to the fight against corruption” and “Fund of the struggle against Corruption” in February 2004. The 2007-2011 “National Strategy with respect to increasing transparency" has also been accepted. The main purpose of these steps taken is to increase transparency, to eliminate circumstances creating corruption, to implement preventative measures, and to continue those effective measures.
Topic:
Corruption, Development, and Economy
Political Geography:
Azerbaijan and South Caucasus

54. Sector Policy Convergences in technical rules/standards and customs in Azerbaijan to support EU Eastern Partnership Initiative

Author:
Vugar Bayramov and Tim McNaught
Publication Date:
12-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
The overall goal of this paper is to understand how Azerbaijan can converge its Trade and Customs Policy with the European Union to meet the economic integration goals set in the EU Eastern Partnership Initiative in Azerbaijan. More specifically, the paper is interested in harmonizing standardization, Technical Barriers to Trade, and customs legislation with the European Union.
Topic:
European Union, Partnerships, Trade, Standardization, and Customs
Political Geography:
Europe, Azerbaijan, and South Caucasus

55. Managing Resource Revenues in Oil-Rich CAREC Countries: The Case of Azerbaijan

Author:
Vugar Bayramov, Tim McNaught, and Elchin Rashidov
Publication Date:
04-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
The high inflow of oil revenues to Azerbaijan in recent years has led to large and unsustainable increases in government expenditures in the state budget and State Oil Fund of the Azerbaijan Republic. Given that oil revenues are exhaustible, volatile, and unpredictable, a sustainable fiscal policy must be enabled that allows for intergenerational equity, diversification in the economy, and predictable annual revenues that reduce pressures of appreciation. This paper aims to describe the recent and current management of oil revenues in Azerbaijan, provide a summary of international practices of natural resource management, and to make policy recommendations for future management of oil revenues. Recommendations include isolating oil money from the Azerbaijan economy, collecting it in the State Oil Fund, using permanent income hypothesis to employ a smooth distrubution function, and other investment considerations.
Topic:
Oil, Natural Resources, Budget, Investment, and Fiscal Policy
Political Geography:
Azerbaijan and South Caucasus

56. Azerbaijan’s Accession to World Trade Organization (WTO); Pros and Cons

Author:
Vugar Bayramov
Publication Date:
07-2010
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD)
Abstract:
Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) together with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) have published new policy paper titled as “Azerbaijan’s accession to the WTO: Assessing the macroeconomic consequences for the economy of Azerbaijan”. The paper analyzes the macroeconomic consequences for Azerbaijan’s economy in case the country joins the World Trade Organization (WTO ). Existing studies primarily draw on qualitative methods, while for this study a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model of the economy is calculated to simulate the consequences of WTO accession. The authors are able to generate numeric forecasts for macroeconomic variables as a measure for welfare and elaborate how WTO accession, interpreted as an external shock to the economy, would affect these variables. This study is, therefore, a unique contribution to the public and academic debate as it is the first study to quantitatively gauge the effects of accession beyond qualitative arguments. To contextualize the quantitative findings, several independent experts were interviewed to compile their opinions on WTO accession. The results of this study suggest positive welfare effects of WTO accession through increases in income, consumption and savings. However, the forecasts generated through our model reveal that exports would plummet as a consequence of accession. This must be of particular concern for the Azerbaijani economy with its oil and energy sector currently being the main driver of gross domestic product, foreign direct investment and exports. As a consequence, the Azerbaijani economy needs to diversify rapidly and decrease its dependence on oil to realize positive effects on general welfare that could be triggered through WTO accession. Whether these positive effects will materialize in the long run is hard to predict, although the qualitative evidence cited in this study suggests that accession would bring along important incentives for diversification.
Topic:
Economics, Oil, World Trade Organization, and Trade
Political Geography:
Azerbaijan and South Caucasus