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On July 29, 2025, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, received Saja Farooq Abdullah, the outgoing Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Azerbaijan, marking the conclusion of his diplomatic mission in the country. The meeting, reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the achievements and ongoing cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNICEF, Azernews reports.

During the discussions, the sides reviewed key areas of collaboration, including projects focused on child welfare, health, and education within Azerbaijan, as well as humanitarian initiatives abroad. Notably, they emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan's role as a donor in international efforts, such as its initiative to construct a secondary school in Palestine.

Minister Bayramov praised Abdullah’s contribution to enhancing UNICEF-Azerbaijan cooperation and wished him success in future endeavors. He also stressed Azerbaijan’s active engagement with the United Nations system and UNICEF, especially in the context of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), and the upcoming 13th World Urban Forum to be held in Baku in 2026.

Bayramov also provided an overview of Azerbaijan’s large-scale post-conflict reconstruction in the liberated territories, detailing efforts to implement “smart city” and “smart village” models, and to ensure the safe and dignified return of displaced citizens.

In response, Saja Farooq Abdullah expressed satisfaction with the progress made in improving children's health and well-being in Azerbaijan during his tenure and acknowledged the close collaboration with state institutions as a key factor in these achievements. He thanked the Azerbaijani government for its support and expressed optimism about the continued growth of UNICEF-Azerbaijan relations.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on a range of mutual interests and future areas of cooperation.