AZERBAIJAN — UN
Cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the UN was established immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the restoration of its independence by Azerbaijan.
In 1992, the Republic of Azerbaijan was admitted to the UN membership on March 2, and in 1992, on May 6, the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan to the UN was opened. Starting from the first day of cooperation with the UN, Azerbaijan has tried to draw the attention of the international community from the UN platform to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and to achieve a peace agreement using the potential opportunities of the UN.
In 1993, the Security Council of the UN (Security Council) adopted resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884 on the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict. Each resolution was adopted as a result of the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Armed Forces. These resolutions reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s territorial inviolability and demanded an immediate declaration of the cease-fire, an end to military operations, and withdrawal of occupying forces from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In September 1994, President Heydar Aliyev attended the 49th session of the UN General Assembly and brought to the attention of the world community the truth about our country, especially about Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh problem from the Tribune of this universal international organization. In October 1995, the president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who took part in the solemn session of the UN General Assembly on the occasion, of the 50th anniversary of this supreme body, appealed to the world countries from the high rostrum of this organization and explained the principled position of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the current global problems and called for enhancement of international efforts to eliminate the Armenian aggression. Speaking at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, President Heydar Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s position on the settlement of the Armenia- Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Speaking at the September 2004 59th session of the UN General Assembly, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated that 4 resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have not been implemented yet and put forward the creation of a working mechanism for their implementation as an important issue. In addition, at the UN General Assembly session on October 29 of the same year, at the initiative of the Azerbaijan delegation, the issue of “the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” was put on the agenda of the meeting. Later, in September 2006, 7, 60th and March 2008, 14, 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly adopted resolutions on “the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. These documents condemned the settlement of Armenians in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the fires committed in these territories, demanded the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan with reference to 4 known resolutions of the Security Council.
Unfortunately, UN resolutions remained on paper for 27 years. Due to the fact that international law was ignored, the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions by force was inevitable. Using Article 51 of the UN Charter, which contained the right to self-defense, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity. As a result of the II Karabakh War, which began in September 2020 and lasted 44 days, the aggressor state was forced to peace.
Azerbaijan was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2012-2013. Azerbaijan was the first country in the South Caucasus and Central Asia to be elected a member of the UN Security Council. Admission to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member and holding a meeting of the Security Council in May 2012, under the chairmanship of the head of state Ilham Aliyev, is one of the great achievements of Azerbaijan in the history of diplomacy, and our country has become one the key actors of the regional and world politics.
Shortly after Azerbaijan was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, President Ilham Aliye stated that the promotion and development of the principle of justice and the supremacy of international peace as outlined in the UN Charter would be the main and first-class target of Azerbaijan in this organization. On the basis of this line, Azerbaijan did not spare its strength for the protection of international peace and security, which is the main task of the Security Council during its membership. In May 2012 and October 2013, Azerbaijan chaired the UN Security Council. During these two months, the Security Council held 30 republic and individual meetings,29 closed meetings, adopted 7 resolutions and 3 statements of the chairman and made 13 statements for the press.
Thus, during his activity as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, the Republic of Azerbaijan held a high-level meeting on the expansion of cooperation between the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on October 28, 2013. Another proposal of Azerbaijan in this direction was related to the development of relations between the UN and the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states (Organizations of Turkic states.)
In September 2017, the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly was held in New York. Speaking at the session, President Ilham Aliyev gave detailed information to the meeting participants about Armenia’s aggressive policy and its results. President Ilham Aliyev also recalled the decisions and resolutions adopted in the international arena to resolve the conflict and emphasized 4 UN Council resolutions. The president said that one of the main reasons for the delay in the settlement of the conflict is the lack of international pressure on the aggressor. Speaking about the achievements of Azerbaijan in 25 years, the head of state also spoke about the international economic layers.
Azerbaijan, which has established broad relations with the UN, uses various means of cooperation. For the effective implementation of the cooperation, the Republic of Azerbaijan actively and effectively cooperates with a number of special agencies and bodies of the UN. Among them are the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO), the UN Development Program (UNDP), the UN children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Program (WIPO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Women’s Fund ( UNIFEM), the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Comprehensive Nuclear – Test Ban Treaty Organization and others, can be noted.
Currently, the Republic of Azerbaijan cooperates with UNESCO, an Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization of the UN. For this purpose, in 1994, according to the decree of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the National Commission of Azerbaijan under UNESCO was established. Azerbaijan-UNESCO relations are being successfully implemented in order to contribute to the development of the country in the fields of Education, Science, and culture. Azerbaijan’s first lady, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva plays an invaluable role in the development of Azerbaijan- UNESCO relations, in the revival and strengthening of these relations. In August 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the title of goodwill ambassador of this organization in the field of traditions and musical traditions for her contribution to the development of traditional music, literature, and poetry, her services in the field of music education and exchange of world cultures, and her loyalty to UNESCO’s ideas.
Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Gold Medal of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization ( ESPPO) in March 2006 for her contribution to the protection of cultural and moral values.
President Heydar Aliyev signed the agreement on cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UN children’s Fund ( UNICEF) during his participation in the session of the UN General Assembly in 1994. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNICEF has been established in order to improve the situation among refugee and IDP children and adolescents. In 1993, the UN launched its emergency food program- The World Food Program (WFP) to control the feeding conditions of refugees and IDPs affected by the most acute. Within the framework of this program, in the early years of the conflict, refugees and IDPs were provided with about 160,000 tons of mixed foodstuffs.
As special agency of the United Nations, Azerbaijan has special relations with the United Nations Development Program and the Organization for Industrial Development. Various projects and programs serve the implementation of structural regulation of the economy. In particular, UNDP assistes in the post-conflict recovery process by developing the capabilities of the Mine Agency (ANAMA) and financing them.
The Republic of Azerbaijan is also an active participant in the UN Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs) project announced in September 2000. Thus, in the early 2000s, the UN entered a new stage in Azerbaijan, which was considered a country’s development plan and led by the weakest sections of the population (IDPs, the elderly, especially women in rural areas, households, children at risk, young people and others.) partnered with the international community to support the government’s efforts to achieve MDGs through the development and implementation of the first national poverty reduction strategy for 2003-2005, which aims to improve living standarts.
Azerbaijan has been awarded by the UN for its achievements in the fight against poverty and successful policy towards improving the social welfare of the population. In 2015, the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was awarded the “South-South” award for the political will of the country’s leadership to improve the social welfare of the population, the state programs implemented in this regard, the measures taken to minimize illiteracy and poverty and the successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
2015, November 12, Mehriban Aliyeva has presented a commemorative diploma and a gift from the UN Population Fund for her services in protecting the rights of women and children in Azerbaijan, as well as gender equality.
İn the same year, our state was awarded a special diploma of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for its achievements in this field. İt should be noted that this organization has set a goal to combat hunger in the world, to ensure food security, to increase the efficiency of Agriculture, Foresty and fishery, and to create healty food systems. Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva was awarded the title of “FAO goodwill ambassador” in 2015 for her contribution to achieving these goals in her activity in the humanitarian and environmental fields.
İn May 2017, within the framework of the IV World Forum on intercultural dialogue,the second plenary session on the theme “intercultural dialogue for food security and a sustainable society: key elements for Sustainable Development and ensuring peace” was held in Baku.
Goodwill ambassador of UN Food and Agriculture Organization Leyla Aliyeva addressed the session.
Rashad Al-Khafaci, Attache of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization secretary general’s office, emphasized that the session was devoted to a very important issue for the modern world and thanked the leadership of Azerbaijan for the high-level organization of the IV Global Forum.
As a country rich in oil and natural gas resources and locate in an ecologically tense region,Azerbaijan successfully cooperates with the UN Environment Program ( UNEP) to address the dangers posed by environmental problems. Considering that each of us a has a serious responsibility from the point of view of environmental protection,turning the world in which we live into a safe space for future generations, at the initiative of the Chairman of the IDEA Public Association (International Dialogue for Environmental Protection), Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva in cooperation with UNEP conferences “Green Week” were held in our country, network support of young environmentalists from around the world was provided. The activities from within the mentioned cooperation are successfully continued today in order to provide public awareness on environmental issues and activities,cooperation with young people,education in the field of environmental problems and to find the right solutions for them.
Azerbaijan hosted the first Global Forum on youth policy in 2014 and the seventh Global Forum of the UN Alliance of civilizations in 2016.
On September 2020, 21, a high-level meeting dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the UN was held on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. President Ilham Aliyev,as the head of state of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement,made a speech in the video format at the meeting.
At the time,the head of state warned the UN and the international community that aggressive rhetoric and provocations demonstrate Armenia’s readlines for a new aggression against Azerbaijan. The responsibility for provocations and escalation of tension lies with the military-political leadership of Armenia.
2020, December 3, a special session of the UN General Assembly dedicated to the fight against coronavirus- COVID-19 was held in New York. The special session of the UN General Assembly against the COVID-19 pandemic was put forward by Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan,Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the session.
Speaking at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on September 24, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev once again criticized “vaccine nationalism”, inequality in access to vaccines among rich and poor countries, and announced the nomination at the UN General Assembly of a resolution on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement on ensuring equal opportunities for all countries to use vaccines.
In his speech, the head of the state stressed that Azerbaijan, using the right of self-defense enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, began a counter-attack operation against Armenia on its territory in 2020 from September 27. During the 44-day war, Azerbaijan liberated the occupied territories. Thus, Azerbaijan ensured the implementation of the Un Security Council resolution itself.
On December 2021, 16, a resolution was adopted by Azerbaijan to ensure equal, affordable, timely, and universal access of all countries to vaccination against COVID-19 put forward by the Non-Aligned Movement with the support of 179 countries at the UN General Assembly.
With the adoption of this resolution, the international community once again demonstrated its support for the initiatives of President Ilham Aliyev against the COVID-19 pandemic and “vaccine nationalism”.
The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals is of particular importance for Azerbaijan. In the 2021 Sustainable Development Report, Azerbaijan showed the best results in the region and ranked 55th among 165 countries. The report highlights Azerbaijan’s progress in poverty reduction, health care, nutrition, participation of women in the labor market, access to clean water and sanitation, access to energy, internet use, protection of endangered wildlife, improvement of the well-being of the population, and sustainable development of cities and settlements.
At present, based on the highest principles of international law, Azerbaijan is successfully implementing peaceful coexistence of different cultures, religious tolerance, protection of fundamental human rights, protection of educational and creative rights, and sustainable development in economic and social spheres. This allows Azerbaijan to develop cooperation with UN specialized institutions on an upward line in all the priority areas covered by them in the future and gain new achievements and successes from our state.
Today, Azerbaijan being a full member of the UN family, has occupied a worthy place among the countries of the world thanks to its policy aimed at establishing peace and security on earth.