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Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova voiced this thought in her speech during the panel debates held within the framework of the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva on 30 July.
The Speaker stated that the implementation of the “Great Return” Programme, which envisages the reclamation of the liberated Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur regions of Azerbaijan, as well as the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands, is making a substantial contribution to the successful realization of the SDGs. As restoration efforts continue, more than 50,000 people are already living, working, and studying in these regions.
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova described mine contamination in the liberated territories as the primary obstacle to development. Precisely for this reason, Azerbaijan adopted the “Activities to Combat the Mine Threat for Safe Return, Resettlement, Restoration, Prosperity and Peace” as its 18th national SDG. Additionally, it has been proposed that this goal be established as the 18th SDG of the United Nations as a whole.
In May of this year, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed a decree on the development of a new Development strategy for 2027–2030 and the “Second Great Return Programme.” The implementation of these initiatives will make an even more substantial contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
