The revival of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh and East Zangezur regions contributes significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), said Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, as she addressed a panel discussion of the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament on the theme “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030: What new opportunities for international cooperation?” in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 30.

According to her, the implementation of the “Great Return” programme, which envisages the restoration of the liberated Karabakh and East Zangazur regions, as well as the return of the former internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their native lands, is making a substantial contribution to the successful realization of the SDGs. She further added that more than 50,000 people are already living, working and studying in those areas, amid the ongoing restoration efforts.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova stressed that the landmine contamination in the liberated territories remains the primary obstacle to their development. In this vein, Azerbaijan adopted the “Activities to Combat the Mine Threat for Safe Return, Resettlement, Restoration, Prosperity and Peace” as its 18th national Sustainable Development Goal. Additionally, this goal had been put forward as the 18th UN Sustainable Development Goal.

“In May of this year, the Azerbaijani President signed an Order on the development of a new Development strategy for 2027–2030 and the “Second State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. The implementation of these documents will make an even more substantial contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Speaker Sahiba Gafarova added.