According to prestigious Gallup International, economic optimism index is high in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's position in the Index of Economic Hope is estimated at 53 points, which is 6 points higher than that of last year. At the same time, this figure is the third best after Indonesia and Albania. The Economic Hope Index is based on the expectations of the country's citizens for future economic perspectives and is based on the results of a survey among citizens.
In recent years, economic hope indices have been steadily rising, particularly in developing countries. In general, as a result of the pandemic, economic hope indices have been subject to recessive trends on the global scale. Globally, economic hopes of citizens for the future have been praised. However, in some countries, various indirect causes (war, natural disasters, political crises, etc.) have significantly reduced citizens' economic expectations for the future. It is also noteworthy that the economic hope indices of the regions where political crises continue are much lower.
Gallup International, which has been operating since 1947, is an influential international organization with an extensive network, specializing in conducting various sociological polls and research around the world. The relevant survey has been conducted since 1947. The organization's surveys conducted in October-December this year covered a total of 41,560 people in 44 countries. It is worth noting that, according to the results of the survey, 38 % of the world’s population now think that 2022 will be better than 2021, 28 % expect a worse year and 27 % believe 2022 will be the same as 2021. So, on a global scale, the index of economic hope has decreased compared to last year.
The index is an important indicator of people's perceptions of their country's economic future. The methodology of this index is not based on the general welfare of the population, but rather on economic expectations for the future. However, it is obvious that expectations for the future are formed on the basis of the current situation. As the results of the index are based on sociological polls, it can be considered a reflection of not only the economic, but also the current political, moral and psychological condition of the country's citizens. Azerbaijan's high results in the index during the post-war period also reflect the results of many years of military-political settlement of the conflict in the Karabakh region.
Apart from that, in 2021, Azerbaijan moved up 6 places and ranked 38th out of 172 countries in “Economic Freedom Index 2021” prepared by the Heritage Foundation. This year, the country is ranked 55th among 166 countries in the “Sustainable Development Goals Index” in the “Sustainable Development Report” 2021. Also, Azerbaijan has maintained its role in other rating reports released this year. For example, Azerbaijan ranked 63rd this year in the "Potential Military Power 2021" rankings of the “Global Firepower” organization.