Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Finance Minister Anar Karimov held a series of meetings with international financial institutions in Bangkok during the IMF-World Bank Group annual meetings. Talks focused on fiscal reforms, economic diversification and future investment cooperation.
Anar Karimov, first deputy minister at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Finance, held a number of separate meetings on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Group annual meetings in Bangkok. The talks covered fiscal reforms, public finance management and investment cooperation with international financial institutions.
Karimov met separately with Jihad Azour, director of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Middle East and Central Asia Department, and Rodrigo Valdés, who heads the Fund’s Fiscal Affairs Department. The discussions touched on the outcomes of Azerbaijan’s 2026 Article IV consultations with the IMF, the country’s fiscal and macroeconomic priorities, and its medium-term structural reform plans.
The first deputy minister said maintaining economic stability, diversifying the economy across sectors and strengthening the non-oil segment remain central to the government’s economic course. He also outlined steps taken to improve public budget management, optimise spending and ensure fiscal sustainability.
The meetings covered the digitalisation of public finance, updates to budget planning and execution mechanisms, and the rollout of results-based and programme budgeting methods. Karimov noted that IMF technical support has played an important role in these processes. The sides also discussed reforms at state-owned enterprises, including stronger monitoring and accountability systems.
IMF representatives underlined the importance of Article IV consultations in assessing Azerbaijan’s economic policy priorities. Both sides exchanged views on continued cooperation in fiscal policy and public finance, as well as on expanding technical assistance.
Digital public finance and ties with international banks
The Azerbaijani delegation also met with Manuel Schiappa Pietra, president and CEO of Canadian company FreeBalance, which specialises in digital public finance management. The talks addressed modernising budget planning systems, improving financial data management and deploying digital solutions to make better use of state resources.
The delegation also held talks with Robert Sweeny, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) executive director representing the United States. They reviewed the current state and prospects of Azerbaijan-ADB cooperation, including joint projects, private sector development, public-private partnership formats and regional cooperation opportunities. The sides noted that ADB board members visited Azerbaijan in September, reviewing ongoing and planned projects together with state agencies.
The delegation separately met with Ziya Aliyev, vice president for banking operations at the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB). Aliyev highlighted the significance of the bank’s 28th annual meeting, held in Baku in July, for building new partnerships and evaluating investment opportunities. He said the bank was ready to deepen cooperation on new projects supporting Azerbaijan’s sustainable development.
