As one of the fastest growing economies, Azerbaijan has achieved impressive results in the field of development, said Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
He made the remarks addressing the UN Summit for the Adoption of Post-2015 Development Agenda Sept. 26, read a message from Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.
FM Mammadyarov noted that despite global economic and financial crises, in the first half of 2015, Azerbaijan registered economic growth of 5.7 percent, while the growth in the non-oil sector was 9.2 percent.
“Azerbaijan has managed to become one of crucial players of the global market in energy infrastructure projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, through the construction of Trans-Anatolian and Trans-Adriatic natural gas pipelines and the Southern Gas Corridor, which will connect energy pipeline networks of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Italy,” said the minister.
He added that Azerbaijan has also initiated strategic transport infrastructure projects, such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, which will connect railroads systems of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and the new Baku International Sea Trade Port allowing short and efficient connection between East and West as reviving the ancient Silk Road.
Mammadyarov added that Azerbaijan, with a view to delivering equitable and efficient services to citizens, established the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations.
“This agency already covers most of the goals of a new sustainable development agenda adopted by our summit yesterday. Success of this innovative model is widely recognized and was awarded with the United Nations Public Service Award 2015,” said the Azerbaijani minister.
He also noted that the commitment to contribute to international development is widely shared across Azerbaijani public.
“The leading non-governmental organization in Azerbaijan, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, has implemented numerous social, humanitarian and development projects in a number of countries,” he said. “We attach primary importance to the promotion of intercultural dialogue, religious tolerance and understanding among peoples.”
He also recalled that Azerbaijan will host the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in 2016.
“We are proud that the First European Games was held this year in Azerbaijan, and in 2017, Azerbaijan will host the Islamic Solidarity Games,” Mammadyarov added.
He noted that regretfully, the challenges to peace and security were and are one of the impediments to regional sustainable development and cooperation.
“The ongoing military occupation by neighbouring Armenia of almost 20 percent of the territories of Azerbaijan, in blatant violation of international law and the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, continues to represent a serious threat to international peace and security,” he stressed.
The minister added that Armenia, impudently violating basic conventional human rights, carried out ethnic cleansing policy against almost one million Azerbaijanis in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and in Armenia itself.
“As a result they became refugees and internally displaced. Putting an end to the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan and ensuring the return of the forcibly displaced people to their homes, is an essential element for the implementation of sustainable development agendas in our region,” Minister Mammadyarov underscored.
Trend.az