BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The United Nations will expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in mine action, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Dmytro Shlapachenko told Trend, on the sidelines of the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum held in Baku today.
"The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with financial support from the European Union, is in the final stage of negotiations with the Government of Azerbaijan to implement the first mine action program. We believe this is only the beginning and that it will expand further," Shlapachenko said.
He noted that the UN hopes these initiatives will grow and that more opportunities will emerge for the organization to expand its work in Karabakh.
"Because this will remain a strategic priority for us in the coming years. From a strategic perspective, I see a need for the United Nations to be more actively involved in Karabakh and East Zangezur. For this reason, in October, the United Nations will hold a strategic dialogue with the Government of Azerbaijan on Karabakh. We are still finalizing the dates, but I think it will be around United Nations Day, which would carry symbolic significance.
We will begin this strategic discussion to understand the government's priorities for Karabakh and East Zangezur and how the UN can support them," he said.
Shlapachenko added that opportunities may also emerge for the UN to organize lectures at Karabakh University and inform students about the UN's global vision supported by its member states.
The second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum is being held in Baku.
The two-day forum is organized by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and its subordinate Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), in strategic partnership with European House – Ambrosetti.
Plenary and panel sessions at the event will address strategic issues including the Middle Corridor, energy and the green transition, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, infrastructure, industry and free economic zones, critical raw materials, agribusiness, financial cooperation, small and medium-sized business development, tourism, real estate and investment in human capital.
