Baku, July 18, 2025 – The Europe Today: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has underscored the critical importance of sustainable development and the role of state audit institutions in ensuring the responsible use of resources, in his address to participants of the Joint Meeting of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI).
“Sustainable development — which involves implementing new mechanisms to achieve economic, social, and environmental balance, reconciling local and global interests, and ensuring the efficient use of natural resources — holds vital importance for humanity,” President Aliyev stated. He emphasized that confronting today’s global challenges demands collective responsibility, the mobilization and efficient management of financial resources, and the advancement of state audit institutions.
President Aliyev welcomed the meeting’s focus on exploring and applying international experience in sustainable development and digital economic transformation, noting the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern governance and global competitiveness.
“Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing public administration, the economy, social sectors, education, healthcare, defense, and security,” the President said. He stressed that fostering an effective AI ecosystem requires strong public-private partnerships, enhanced scientific research, and the promotion of an innovation-conducive environment.
He also expressed confidence that integrating AI technologies into state audit systems would contribute to the development of auditing as an independent supervisory institution, enhancing transparency, accountability, and the efficiency of audit services, while enabling access to and application of leading international practices.
Addressing the second key theme of the meeting, President Aliyev highlighted the urgency of combating climate change and the need for substantial financial resources to support mitigation and adaptation efforts.
“The transparent and targeted use of these funds calls for the active involvement of supreme audit institutions,” he stressed, reaffirming Azerbaijan’s commitment to climate action. He recalled that this commitment was reaffirmed when Azerbaijan hosted the prestigious COP29 conference last year.
President Aliyev’s address reflected Azerbaijan’s growing role in global sustainability efforts and its dedication to integrating innovation and accountability into public governance.
