In the opening speech, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture Samir Nuriyev said that, as a result of the successful policy implemented under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan currently enjoys a new period of development. Consistent implementation of the economic and social reforms as well as the Presidential decrees and orders signed in early 2019 contributed to the increased effectiveness of the activities conducted in different areas and promoted transparency, thus facilitating our country’s comprehensive development. The citizens of Azerbaijan and their high living standards are at the heart of the state policy implemented under the leadership of the Head of the State.

The implementation of reforms in such a priority sector as the urban planning and construction, too, serves the purpose of improving the living conditions of the population and facilitating the development of entrepreneurship. The special attention paid by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev to the country’s systemic activity in the urban planning area is evidenced by his recent decisions and instructions as well as their implementation.

Samir Nuriyev particularly emphasized the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No 460 “On simplifying the construction permit and occupancy permit procedures for selected construction projects” dated 28 December 2018 as one of the reform measures necessary to regulate the urban planning process.

To implement the Decree, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture with the support of other relevant state bodies developed a single-window e-application system to ensure the issuance of construction and occupancy permits for the construction projects in Baku City not requiring expert assessment. After its presentation to broader public and business people, the e-system was launched on 21 February 2019.

The new e-application system can be accessed through the e-portal of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture. It provides an opportunity to simplify the process of obtaining construction and occupancy permits for the construction of various parameter-based structures and warehouse facilities not requiring expert assessment. The simplified process is fast, comfortable, and transparent as well as excluding extra time losses. Significantly minimizing the official-entrepreneur interaction, the e-application system helps business people to save their time and reduce expenses. To date, the single-window e-application system has already processed dozens of applications for respective permits and provided scores of e-permits. Thus, a customer can apply to the foregoing electronic system and upload the required electronic documents to receive the construction permit within a period of 15 business days as well as the occupancy permit within a period of 10 business days.

The Committee currently continues to ensure the full implementation of the foregoing Presidential Decree. This year, it is envisaged to implement improvement activities to ensure the operation of the e-application system for the issuance of construction and occupancy permits not only in Baku but throughout the entire country. In recent months, the Committee and its subordinate entities have organized various training sessions and meetings with chief architects of the country’s regions. Awareness-raising and training events will continue taking place in the future. Soon, the single-window e-portal is also expected to start issuing construction and occupancy permits for construction projects requiring expert assessment.

This year, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed another vital Decree No 529 “On simplifying the issuance of permits for the operation of some of multi-apartment buildings” dated 19 February 2019. The signature of this revolutionary Decree by the President is yet another evidence that Azerbaijan implements a socially-oriented public policy based on the principle of humanity, the Chairman highlighted.

Samir Nuriyev said that, taking into account recent violations of legal requirements with regard to multi-apartment residential construction projects and subsequent problems of the buildings’ registration and recognition of residents’ property title, the signature of this revolutionary Decree by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has, once again, evidenced the supremacy of citizens’ rights and interests. The Decree clarified the duties of several state bodies and set several objectives to optimize the term and process of issuing permits for such buildings and produce necessary transparency and citizens’ satisfaction in this area.

According to the Presidential Decree, the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the past months granted 26 approvals attesting to the buildings’ firmness and safety. Based on these approvals, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture provided 26 residential complexes with the appropriate occupancy permits. This, in turn, means that the implementation of this Decree has already solved the long-standing problems over 5600 families were faced with. Competent state bodies immediately receive information on the permits granted, and the Committee’s e-portal ensures the relevant information is properly published to inform the public.

In his speech, the Committee Chairman also touched on the activity aimed at the development of the area planning documents and the Baku City Master Plan. He said that, following the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture has split the development of the Baku City Master Plan into 2 phases following relevant international experience. Samir Nuriyev reminded that Phase 1 included engaging with the reputable international Boston Consulting Group company to develop the Baku City Development Concept and, following the agreed course of activities, conduct the comprehensive analysis and necessary preparation to initiate an open tender procedure in 2018. A reputable German urban planning company, “AS+P” has become the winner of the tender for the development of Baku City Master Plan in compliance with the decision of the Tender Commission consisting of representatives of SCUPA, relevant governmental agencies, and public figures. During Phase 2 of the ongoing development of the Baku City Master Plan, the Committee, in conjunction with Boston Consulting Group and AS+P, will ensure the strategic and multi-dimensional planning of the city area and conduct the technical modeling of key development indicators.

Completion of the work over the Baku City Master Plan is scheduled for the end of 2020. After that, the final draft of the document will be submitted to the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan for approval. In keeping with the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Baku City Master Plan defines different categories of land use within the city area. Within the oncoming 20 years, this document will guide all relevant bodies implementing Baku City development programs.

He also informed that, during the First Quarter 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan approved the master plans previously developed by the Committee for the cities of Shamkir, Goygol, Khachmaz, Salyan, Masalli, and Tovuz. The draft Guba City Master Plan has already been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval, while the final draft of Bilasuvar City Master Plan is currently harmonized with respective entities. At the same time, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture has initiated the development of draft master plans for 6 more cities (i.e. Dashkesan, Shabran, Tartar, Saatli, Sabirabad, and Kurdamir).

The Committee Chairman also stressed the importance of activities implemented in the area of urban planning and construction design in compliance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No 226 “On additional measures to improve governance in the area of urban planning” dated 01 August 2018. Because of training and close cooperation with building owners, the quality of new projects submitted to the Committee for consideration reflects positive dynamics in terms of their compliance with respective requirements and norms of the urban planning legislation. In the past months, the Committee approved 176 cases of urban planning rationale of which 89 cases related to the projects to be implemented in the administrative area of Baku City.

Samir Nuriyev also noted that, currently, the Committee carries out activities to ensure the moral and professional development of youth. Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction organizes meetings with students to increase their knowledge of the Committee’s activity and promote their social engagement based on the strategy of employment, as well as to create necessary conditions for students to fill the public service vacancies aligning with their training and profession. Under the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On volunteer activity,” our youth interested in joining the construction and urban planning sector can engage with the volunteer activity to participate in diverse programs implemented by the Committee to serve the citizens, and gain the necessary experience.

After that, the Committee Vice-Chairman Dovlatkhan Dovlatkhanov, Director of the Department of International Relations and Information Technologies Rufat Mahmud, and Director of the State Urban Planning Cadastre Rashad Ismayilov provided reports on the activity of their respective departments during Quarter One 2019.

In the framework of improving respective legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Committee Collegial Council adopted a decision to make necessary amendments to several design and construction requirements approved in the past years.