At the meeting, the representative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Christian Rosbach emphasized that the development of the population, the state and the private sector in Azerbaijan is a priority issue in the new strategy of the ADB for the next five years..

On June 2, 2023, Natig Madatov, Chief Research Fellow of Department of Local and International Cooperation of the Economic Scientific Research Institute (ESRI) and Vugar Abbasov, Junior Research Fellow of Department of Digitalization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy Analysis met with the employees of the Baku office of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The purpose of the meeting, held at the ADB's request, was to discuss the ADB's Country Cooperation Strategy and explore potential areas of cooperation.

At the meeting, Christian Rosbach, Economist of Department of (Regional Cooperation) Central and Western Asia Department, noted that the ADB's Country Partnership Strategy for Azerbaijan will end this year, and stressed that the development of the population, state and private sector in Azerbaijan is a priority issue in the new strategy of the ADB for the next five years.

Mr. Madatov, in his turn, gave brief information about the ESRI's activities and contributions to the development of Azerbaijan. He pointed out that Azerbaijan has great opportunities in a number of potential development areas, such as waste management, tourism, support for small and medium enterprises, digitization, regional development, women's entrepreneurship, especially in the development of handicrafts such as carpet weaving, and rehabilitation in areas freed from occupation.

At the meeting, an agreement was reached on exploring the possibilities of future cooperation between the ADB and the ESRI on joint projects and initiatives.