This project provided direct assistance in the development of the economy in Azerbaijan through support to the newly created Ministry of Economic Development (MED). The ministry was set up in 2001 as a result of merging five Ministries and other government bodies engaged in economics, trade, state property, antimonopoly, support for enterprise and foreign investment promotion. The Ministry was in the position of being at the centre of a drive to encourage private enterprise and to promote socio-economic development. Under the leadership of a Minister committed to reform, significant progress was made in improving administrative procedures through better communications and the appointment of dynamic and progressive senior staff.

WYG International was responsible for implementing a programme focusing on improving communications, co-ordination, consultation between MED and other Ministries and government bodies, strengthening policy-making capacity, developing policies and introducing best practice in human resource development. The project comprised six main components, covering inter-ministry co-ordination, improved policy making, organisational improvements, reorienting the MED network of regional and local offices, strengthening the HR function and concurrently providing ad hoc policy and technical advice to the Minister.

At the request of the Ministry, the project team operated primarily in a facilitating role to ensure that the ideas for reform were developed by the Ministry staff and that implementation was then supported by the EU advisors. As well as achieving direct benefits to MED, the project provided a model for administrative reform in other Ministries and Agencies in Azerbaijan.