Nearly 80 participants, including Members of Parliament, Heads of local Executive Committees from the Ganja-Gazakh economic region, municipal officials, local civil society organizations and international experts participated in the “Public Participation in Azerbaijan: International and National Best Practices” National Conference held in Ganja today. The conference was organized by the Socio-Economic Development Activity in Azerbaijan (SEDA) funded by the Governments of the United States and Azerbaijan and in partnership with USAID and the Council for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations (CSSN).

The purpose of the conference was to raise awareness about existing opportunities for public participation in decision-making processes. Particular emphasis was placed on the practical application of the recently approved Law on Public Participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The conference was an opportunity for Azerbaijani government officials and civil society representatives to engage in discussions on successful initiatives to advance citizen participation in governance. Experts presented and discussed national and international best practices in legal mechanisms for ensuring public participation.

In his remarks Mr. Azay Guliyev, Chair of the CSSN, noted that this type of event was an excellent example of cooperation between the Government of Azerbaijan and international donors to adapt international best practices to the local context. In particular, he highlighted the role of SEDA in increasing the awareness of decision-makers and civil society in the area of public participation. He also mentioned that cooperation in this area will be further developed.

“The U.S. Government is proud to support the people of Azerbaijan in their efforts to create ample and sustainable avenues for citizens, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives to contribute their ideas for advancing the country’s social and economic development,” said Heather Ward, USAID/Washington’s Officer for South Caucasus countries.

As a result of the conference, participants in Ganja-Gazakh region became better aware of existing public participation legislation in Azerbaijan, as well as international best practices in citizen participation and its positive effects on the lives of the citizens.