With the support of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the organization of KOBIA, the award ceremony of the “Dayaq” Prize was held under the slogan “The power is your business”.

On December 18, 2025, with the support of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the organization of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA), the award ceremony of the “Dayaq” Prize was held under the slogan “The power is your business”.

The event was attended by members of parliament, representatives of state institutions, businesspeople, representatives of business associations, including the Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan–Turkey Businessmen Association, Mursel Rustemov.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Anar Aliyev, noted that the development of entrepreneurship makes a significant contribution to the creation of new jobs and the improvement of public welfare. Stating that measures to support entrepreneurship serve both the improvement of citizens’ welfare and economic development, Anar Aliyev congratulated the participants who were awarded the “Dayaq” Prize.

In his speech, the First Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Elnur Aliyev, provided information on the economic landscape and indicators of private sector development. Emphasizing that one of the state’s main priorities in recent years has been the restoration of the liberated territories and the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands as soon as possible, Elnur Aliyev noted that cooperation between the public and private sectors has also shown positive results in this area and that businesses are actively participating in the Great Return process.

The President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of Azerbaijan, Mammad Musayev, and the Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency, Orkhan Mammadov, shared their views on the growing role of SMEs in sustainable economic development and public-private cooperation.

Within the framework of the event, the winners of the 7th grant competition announced by KOBIA to finance SME projects in the fields of education, science, research, and support were presented.

Later, a panel discussion on the topic “2026: The Challenge of SMEs” was held.

The event concluded with an artistic program.