Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

Read more

Urban recovery in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories cannot begin with construction before contaminated land is made safe, Chairman of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) Vugar Suleymanov said.

Speaking at the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Suleymanov stressed that humanitarian demining represents the first practical stage of reconstruction and the safe return of communities to their homes.

"In the liberated territories of our country, urban recovery does not begin with construction. It begins with making the land safe," he said.

Suleymanov noted that more than 103,000 hectares of land have been cleared and released specifically for residential infrastructure since November 2020. The cleared areas have enabled the construction of new settlements, housing complexes, schools, hospitals, public facilities and essential services for returning communities.

"Every hectare cleared for a settlement is a future home. Every hectare cleared for a road is a future connection," he said.

According to Suleymanov, mine clearance operations have been directly linked to reconstruction and urban recovery in the liberated territories since November 2020. Significant areas have also been cleared for roads, energy infrastructure, agriculture and other priority projects.

He highlighted a number of reconstruction projects demonstrating the link between safe land and sustainable development, including the Aghali Smart Village in Zangilan, new residential complexes in Aghdam, reconstruction projects in Lachin, development in Fuzuli, and the international airports in Fuzuli, Zangilan and Lachin.

Infrastructure projects such as the Ahmadbayli–Fuzuli–Shusha highway and the Horadiz–Jabrayil–Zangilan–Aghband railway line were also cited as examples of how mine action supports wider reconstruction and connectivity.

Suleymanov said ANAMA’s responsibility extends beyond clearing mines, emphasizing that demining operations must correspond with national reconstruction priorities, the Great Return process and the needs of people returning to their native lands.

"This Conference is therefore not only about demining methods. It is about how mine action can better serve people, cities and development," he said.

The 4th International Mine Action Conference is being held in Baku under the theme "Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements." Over the course of the conference, participants are discussing ways to better integrate mine action with reconstruction, strengthen donor mechanisms, develop resilient communities and use technology and innovation to make demining operations safer and more effective.