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Akbar Novruz

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to Türkiye on June 19 carries powerful symbolic and humanitarian significance, as it marks his arrival in Kahramanmaraş—a city still healing from the devastation of the February 2023 twin earthquakes. President Aliyev was warmly welcomed by his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the Kahramanmaraş International Airport, where a guard of honor was lined up in his honor, underscoring the strength of bilateral ties that go far beyond diplomacy.

The visit comes at a time when the fruits of Azerbaijan’s support in Türkiye’s post-earthquake recovery are fully visible. Among the most striking examples is the Azerbaijani-funded “Azerbaijan Neighborhood,” a large-scale residential and social complex built in Kahramanmaraş to house victims of the disaster.

This initiative is part of broader efforts that began immediately after the 7.8 and 7.6-magnitude quakes struck Türkiye on February 6, 2023, affecting 11 provinces, killing over 50,000 people, and leaving millions displaced. Azerbaijan was among the first nations to respond. On the instructions of President Aliyev, planes loaded with humanitarian aid and a 700-member rescue team from the Ministry of Emergency Situations were dispatched to the affected areas. Azerbaijani rescue teams worked alongside Turkish emergency services, helping save lives under extraordinarily difficult conditions.

Beyond the emergency phase, Azerbaijan committed to long-term recovery, focusing on physical reconstruction and social stability. The “Azerbaijan Neighborhood” in Kahramanmaraş is a defining symbol of this commitment. The complex includes over 1,000 earthquake-resistant apartments, a school named after national leader Heydar Aliyev, a kindergarten, a mosque, a cultural center, and multiple commercial and service areas.

President Erdoğan, in a post shared on his official social media account, referred to the project as “fraternity in action,” noting that 49,056 jobs and residential units had been constructed in the area. “With this initiative, the number of apartments handed over after the earthquake has reached 250,000,” he added, thanking Azerbaijan for its extraordinary contribution.

The $100 million initiative is being coordinated by the State Housing Construction Agency of Azerbaijan (MIDA), covering a total area of 32 hectares. The reconstruction plan not only supports shelter but also aims to restore entire communities. Schools, retail spaces, and social services are designed to ensure that life can resume in a dignified, secure, and cohesive environment.

Azerbaijan’s assistance has also extended beyond Kahramanmaraş, with parallel reconstruction projects underway in other affected regions such as Hatay and Adıyaman. These efforts include building new hospitals, schools, and public infrastructure, along with psychosocial support centers and employment initiatives to help locals rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

The Azerbaijani people, too, responded en masse. Through the “Brotherly Aid” campaign and organizations like the Yashat Foundation, thousands donated funds, blood, and supplies. Civil society, NGOs, and businesses rallied together to provide both immediate and long-term relief.

What makes this relationship extraordinary is not only the scale of support, but the spirit behind it. Azerbaijan’s aid was never transactional; it was personal, heartfelt, and rooted in a deep, shared history and identity. The dual flags flying over the Azerbaijan Neighborhood and the monument erected in its center symbolize a partnership that is emotional as much as it is strategic.

In this context, President Aliyev’s visit is more than a diplomatic gesture—it is a reaffirmation of a shared destiny. It sends a clear message: when one nation is in crisis, the other will respond—not out of obligation, but out of fraternal duty.

As finishing works near completion in several quarters of the Azerbaijan Neighborhood and construction continues in others, these buildings will stand as enduring testaments to the solidarity between the two nations. They are not just physical structures—they are embodiments of resilience, loyalty, and mutual trust.

In a world where alliances are often transactional and short-lived, the Azerbaijan-Türkiye relationship remains anchored in something deeper: a bond forged in adversity, sustained by mutual respect, and strengthened through every challenge faced together.