AIDA Director participates in international donor conference in Brussels

Baku, July 21 (AzerTAc). Director of the Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) Ashraf Shikhaliyev has attended the international donor conference in Brussels, Belgium. The event was organized on the initiative of the European Union, France and Slovenia with regard to the natural disaster, which hit Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2014. Mr. Shikhaliyev addressed the event and noted that considering the devastating impact of the natural disaster on the countries of the region and bearing in mind the need of the joint efforts of the international community to reduce the inflicted damage, the Republic of Azerbaijan, as an emerging donor country, provided urgent humanitarian aid to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also mentioned that both countries have appealed for additional volumes of assistance and that the appeals are currently being reviewed. Stressing the strategic level of relationship between the Republic of Azerbaijan with the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and the important projects implemented in these countries, Mr. Shikhaliyev expressed confidence that the aid provided by the people of Azerbaijan will serve to further strengthening of friendly relations with both countries and will facilitate a speedy recovery from the consequences of the natural disaster.