Azernews.Az

by Mazahir Afandiyev

Established in 1945 after World War II to ensure peace and security among world nations, prevent human casualties, and make the planet a better and safer place for all, the United Nations has, in today’s reality, become the most prestigious and comprehensive international organization in the world. Since its inception, the UN's activities and mission—focused on maintaining international peace and security, fostering friendly relations among states, and contributing to the protection of human rights and freedoms—have been based on the goals and principles outlined in its Charter. The Charter emphasizes that member states must fulfill their obligations in good faith, resolve international disputes through peaceful means, and respect the territorial integrity of states.

The UN played a significant role in the international legal recognition of the independent and sovereign Azerbaijani state during its challenging early years after regaining independence for the second time in the 20th century. On March 2, 1992, at the 46th session of the UN General Assembly, Azerbaijan became the 181st member of the world’s largest organization. Since then, Azerbaijan has carried out accreditations with UN substructures and established exemplary, comprehensive, and mutually respectful cooperation with them.

A turning point in Azerbaijan–UN relations was when the National Leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, participated in the 49th session of the UN General Assembly in September 1994 as the country’s first president. The participation of President Ilham Aliyev in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on September 25 of this year in New York is a clear example of the deepening and strengthening relationship between Azerbaijan and the UN.

In general, over the past 30 years, Azerbaijan has been an active and exemplary member state that respects international law and has put forward several initiatives contributing to peace, development, and cooperation within the UN framework. The country has hosted significant global events such as the UN's first Global Youth Forum, the 5th International Humanitarian Forum, the 7th Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations, and COP29.

Azerbaijan's cooperation with the UN spans not only political areas but also social, economic, and humanitarian spheres. For many years, the country has closely collaborated with UN substructures such as the Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF, and UNESCO, especially the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), contributing to the implementation of key global frameworks.

Notably, the projects carried out under mutual cooperation within Azerbaijan by UNDP—the UN’s main development agency and the first to be accredited in the country—have made significant practical contributions to the implementation of Azerbaijan’s sustainable development concept.

In the long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNDP, important projects have been implemented in areas such as poverty reduction, improvement of public governance, environmental protection, sustainable development, and gender equality. This partnership has played a vital role in aligning Azerbaijan’s national development strategies with international standards.

One of the most important milestones in Azerbaijan–UN cooperation was its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on October 24, 2011. Azerbaijan won the trust of the international community by receiving votes from 155 countries. During its tenure in 2012–2013, Azerbaijan played an active role in discussions on international peace and security issues and contributed to shaping the global agenda. At the same time, it brought the necessity of a just resolution to its conflict with neighboring Armenia—based on relevant UN resolutions—to the attention of the international community.

Azerbaijan participated in a UN Security Council meeting as a non-permanent member for the first time on January 4, 2012. Starting May 1 of that year, Azerbaijan assumed the presidency of the Council, taking over from the United States and passing it on to China on June 1. During Azerbaijan's presidency, the Security Council held 13 open and 16 closed meetings. During this period, three resolutions were adopted—two on the situation in Sudan and one on the military coup in Guinea-Bissau—as well as seven presidential statements.

Today, as a full-fledged member of the UN family, Azerbaijan is the only state that, invoking its right to self-defense as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, singlehandedly implemented the UN resolutions in 2020 for the restoration of peace and security in the South Caucasus. With this, Azerbaijan has openly demonstrated the value it places on the trust built through its 30-year relationship with the UN.

Currently, Azerbaijan continues to base its foreign policy on the supreme principles of international law, successfully promoting peaceful coexistence among different peoples, religious tolerance, the protection of fundamental human rights, and sustainable development in economic and social areas.

Thus, Azerbaijan always respects the discussions held on international platforms and the implementation of decisions adopted by international organizations aimed at preserving universal values, and it mobilizes all its resources to help build a more stable and improved global political architecture. This, in turn, once again reflects Azerbaijan’s political vision based on multiculturalism, tolerance, peace, and justice.

The author is a member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan