Dividing Metro Lines Seen as Key to Easing Baku Subway Overcrowding

Azerbaijan's government has allocated a total of 4.83 billion manat ($2.8 billion) from the state budget in 2024 for the reconstruction and restoration of territories liberated from occupation, the Ministry of Finance announced.

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan convened a meeting on January 28 to discuss the development of the country's transportation infrastructure, focusing on the challenges facing the capital city Baku and its surrounding areas. Despite significant advancements in infrastructure over the past years, Aliyev acknowledged that traffic congestion remains a growing issue due to the rapid increase in the city’s population.

Azerbaijan concluded 2024 with state budget revenues of 37.16 billion manats, exceeding forecasts by 2.1% and reflecting a 5.5% increase compared to 2023. Budget expenditures amounted to 37.72 billion manats, resulting in a manageable deficit of 555.5 million manats. Despite the deficit, the government demonstrated fiscal resilience and strategic allocation of resources, supported by higher-than-expected non-oil revenues and prudent expenditure control.

According to data released by the Ministry of Finance on Monday, Azerbaijan’s external public debt as of January 1, 2025, stood at $5.16 billion, accounting for 6.9% of the country’s GDP for 2024.