Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

Read more

Azerbaijan expressed concern over ongoing human rights issues in the European Union, highlighting racism and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, the rise of Islamophobia, and growing levels of social intolerance, AzerNEWS reports.

This was stated in a statement by the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, voiced during the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Annual Report at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

"I would like to thank the High Commissioner for his comprehensive report. Indeed, the report has been developed during the difficult times of liquidity and financial constraint across the entire UN system even further complicated by global turbulent and unpredictable geopolitical environment.

Azerbaijan maintains that the protection and advancement of human rights - including the right to development and economic, social, and cultural rights - are fundamental to democracy, stability, and prosperity.

The country believes the South Caucasus now has a unique historic opportunity to evolve into a region of cooperation rather than confrontation.This transformation is already yielding results, with the country creating new economic, trade, and transit opportunities that benefit not only neighboring states but also partners beyond the region.

One of the main priorities of the Government is reconstruction and rehabilitation activities alongside the return of numerous IDPs to their homes. The right to return and the right to decent life are essential human rights. An obstacle to realization of these rights, as well as to the identification of thousands of missing persons, is the abundance of landmines and explosive ordnance across vast areas.