BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. The restoration of Karabakh and East Zangazur is making a significant contribution to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, Trend reports.
Speaking at a panel discussion held on July 30 as part of the VI World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Gafarova said the revitalization of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories in Karabakh and East Zangazur, along with the implementation of the 'Great Return' program aimed at enabling former internally displaced persons to return to their native lands, is playing a vital role in advancing the SDGs.
Alongside the ongoing reconstruction initiatives, over 50,000 individuals are currently engaged in residential, professional, and academic activities within these locales.
The speaker also noted that landmine contamination remains a major obstacle to development in the liberated territories. For this reason, Azerbaijan has adopted "Combating Mine Threats for Safe Return, Resettlement, Recovery, Prosperity, and Peace" as its 18th national Sustainable Development Goal. Azerbaijan has also proposed the adoption of this goal at the global level as the 18th SDG of the United Nations.