Government Tightens Control Over Rough Diamond Trade

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on May 14 introducing additional measures to improve the country’s waste management system, including the establishment of the State Waste Management Agency under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The decision comes amid growing environmental and infrastructure challenges linked to urbanization, rising volumes of household waste, and the need to modernize the country’s коммунal services system.

The Azerbaijani government has authorized the demolition of several non-residential buildings in the city of Shusha as part of its urban redevelopment and reconstruction policy in the formerly occupied territories. The decision is seen as another stage in the large-scale reconstruction and urban transformation program underway in Karabakh in the post-conflict period.

The Azerbaijani government, the Confederation of Trade Unions, and the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs’ Organizations have signed a new General Collective Agreement for 2026–2028 aimed at raising minimum wages, legalizing informal employment, and expanding social protections.

Azerbaijan is intensifying efforts to transform oil revenues into the foundation of its own technological economy, betting on artificial intelligence, engineering education, and digital infrastructure amid the accelerating global energy transition.