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Akbar Novruz

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Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Tofig Musayev, has drawn attention to the deep and long-lasting social consequences of armed conflicts during a meeting organized by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN within the framework of the 64th session of the UN Commission on Social Development, Azernews reports.

In his remarks, Musayev stressed that ongoing conflicts worldwide continue to erode social cohesion and economic stability. He noted that wars lead to mass displacement, aggravate humanitarian crises, and create unprecedented challenges for social development, placing a heavy burden on already fragile economies and institutions.

The ambassador underlined that Azerbaijan has directly experienced these consequences as a result of war and occupation. Following the events of 2020, the Azerbaijani government launched a large-scale rehabilitation and reconstruction program aimed at ensuring the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of former internally displaced persons. For this purpose, more than $13.5 billion was allocated between 2021 and 2025, and today around 70,000 people are already living in the liberated territories.

Musayev emphasized that reconstruction is being carried out using innovative and forward-looking approaches. Destroyed cities and villages are being rebuilt from the ground up, with the implementation of smart city and smart village concepts, as well as the designation of the region as a green energy zone.

At the same time, he pointed to the serious obstacles slowing the resettlement process, particularly the mine threat. According to the ambassador, although the government has provided social support to more than 130,000 people, progress remains hampered by the presence of around 1.5 million landmines and large quantities of unexploded ordnance left in the formerly occupied areas, posing a constant danger to civilian lives.

He also recalled that the fate of over 4,000 Azerbaijanis missing as a result of the conflict remains unknown, describing this issue as a continuing humanitarian tragedy.

Concluding his remarks, Musayev stated that the grave social consequences of conflicts require not only sustained national efforts but also strong international cooperation and solidarity, stressing that global action is essential to ensure that no one is left behind in post-conflict recovery and development.