BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. The Great Return Program has been declared one of Azerbaijan's five main national priorities for socio-economic development through 2030, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, Fuad Huseynov, said, Trend reports.
Huseynov made the remark during a panel discussion titled "Migration and Cities: A Framework for Safe, Innovative and Sustainable Governance" held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
He noted that one of the largest cases of forced displacement in the world in the last 30 years occurred as a result of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
"In a country with a population of 10 million, hundreds of thousands of people became internally displaced persons. As a result of the conflict, people were displaced from their native lands. Over the past years, the Azerbaijani state has built more than 20 new and modern settlements for internally displaced persons, and 320,000 people have been provided with improved housing conditions. However, the only sustainable solution to the problem of internal displacement was a political resolution of the conflict and the liberation of the occupied territories," he stressed.
The official pointed out that the 44-day Second Karabakh War that took place in 2020 restored the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders and created conditions for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of internally displaced persons.
"Azerbaijan has entered a new stage of post-conflict development. For the first time, the government has adopted a state program on the Great Return to the liberated territories. Within the framework of the program, large-scale reconstruction work is being carried out in Karabakh and East Zangezur, and it is envisaged that approximately 700,000 former internally displaced persons will gradually return to their native lands," he added.
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
