A generation and a family have a pivotal role in the achievements, formation, and future of a person in life. From this point of view, Azerbaijani President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev is a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
We can state this with full confidence and determination if we think back on some features of the Azerbaijani leader’s life. Ilham Aliyev was born on December 24, 1961 in Baku. In 1967-1977, he went to secondary school No. 6 in Baku. In 1977-1982 he studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). After graduating, he continued with postgraduate studies at MGIMO. In 1985 he defended his dissertation and received the degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences, and in 1985-1990 he was a teacher at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. From 1991 to 1994, he conducted private business and headed several production and commercial enterprises. From 1994 to August 2003, he was the vice-president and then the first vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan. He took an active part in the implementation of national leader Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy.
From 1985 to 1990, he taught at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. In 1991-1994, he went to private business and led a number of production and commercial enterprises. From 1994 to August 2003, he was a vice-president and first vice-president of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). He took an active part in the implementation of Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy. He is the author of a number of studies on the geopolitical aspects of sovereign Azerbaijan's oil policy. He is a Ph.D. in politics. He has been the president of the Azerbaijani Republic since October 15, 2003.
Ilham Aliyev's upbringing in a materially and spiritually well-off family, the family's genetics, activities, and prestige in society played a tremendous role in his growth and formation as a statesman. His father, Heydar Aliyev, was one of the most respected leaders of a great state like the USSR. He was one of the Soviet leaders, who had the most enemies in the Kremlin. In the 1970-80s, Heydar Aliyev was a politician whom Armenians most feared. Heydar Aliyev was one of the 43 pro-independence deputies, who backed Azerbaijan’s independence. The pro-independence deputies opposed the holding of the March 7, 1991 referendum on the preservation of the USSR, thus, voted for the collapse of the former Soviet empire. To put it differently, Heydar Aliyev, being one of the supporters of the collapse of the USSR, defended the demands of the national liberation movement.
During the independence period, his state-building activities as well as those pertaining to the liberation of lands from occupation, ensuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the signing of international oil and gas contracts are well-known.
With such activities, Heydar Aliyev charted President Ilham Aliyev’s direction of activities to implement them. During his 18-year presidency, his activities are a continuation of the activities of the national leader, the fulfilment of his will.
Ilham Aliyev's mother was a prominent ophthalmologist-scientist, Academician Zarifa Aliyeva. She is the daughter of the renowned Azerbaijani statesman and public figure Aziz Aliyev. He helped a lot to our compatriots, who fought for the rights of Azerbaijani Turks in Iran in 1945-46.
The Azerbaijani leader is the author of numerous innovations in various spheres of life and society. These innovations have manifested themselves in politics, economy, army building, diplomacy, social sphere, science, education, culture, health, sports, protection of family values, creation of new infrastructure, construction of roads, in short, in all spheres of the country. They have paved the way for the development, flourishing of Azerbaijan and have turned it into one of the most powerful, distinguished, important, and respected states in the world.
The masterpiece of Ilham Aliyev as President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, a politician is Karabakh - Azerbaijan with restored territorial integrity. He is the happiest heir to his father Heydar Aliyev, who continues his unfinished work and observes his will.
Addressing the nation, the Azerbaijani leader stressed the historic significance of the liberation of Shusha: “Today I visited the grave of great leader Heydar Aliyev and bowed to his spirit. I silently said that I am a happy man to have fulfilled my father's will. We liberated Shusha! This is a great victory! Today, the souls of our martyrs, of the great leader, are happy! Congratulations, Azerbaijan! Congratulations, world Azerbaijanis!”
By leading the victory in Karabakh, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief not only did honor the will of Heydar Aliyev, but also fulfilled the duties that many heads of the Azerbaijani state could not do since the establishment of the first republic, and paid his national debt with dignity.
After Azerbaijani lands were de-occupied, Ilham Aliyev has restored names of geographical places for the sake of historical justice. Upon his order, the names of economic regions that exist until July 7, 2021, have been adjusted to reality. The Eastern Zangazur economic region (Jabrayil, Kalbajar, Gubadli, Lachin, and Zangilan districts), the Karabakh economic region (Khankandi city, Agjabadi, Agdam, Barda, Fuzuli, Khojali, Khojavand, Shusha, and Tartar districts) were added to the list of economic regions.
The regional cooperation has further expanded under his presidency. The Azerbaijani leader, who is the author of many projects during his tenure, is one of the initiators of the Zangazur Corridor project.
For the first time, a declaration on the allied relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan was adopted to expand the relations and cooperation between the two countries. The leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, respectively signed the Shusha Declaration on June 15, 2021. This is the most important step taken by Ilham Aliyev towards the "one nation - two states" motto. The document will serve not only the development of the two countries but also regional cooperation and security.
The president did not hesitate to call Azerbaijan's friends and enemies by name. He made this clear in interviews, speeches, and statements during and after the 44-day war.
President Ilham Aliyev has always paid attention to the development of science, education, and culture. The order of the president on the establishment of a day of science in Azerbaijan on April 9, 2018, and dozens of orders, decrees, and decisions in the scientific and education sectors, the state programs are a clear example of this. Under Ilham Aliyev's rule, thousands of young Azerbaijanis were sent to study abroad at the expense of the state and they were sent especially to the most prestigious universities of the developed countries.
In order to ensure the active participation of young people in society, the president signed a decree "On the establishment of the Youth Foundation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan" and approved the "State Program of Azerbaijani youth for 2017-2021".
In a nutshell, Heydar Aliyev's youth policy continued and expanded during Ilham Aliyev's presidency.
The same policy has been implemented in the field of social protection, health, and humanitarian aid. The Azerbaijani leader signed a number of orders, decrees, and decisions in these areas. Over the years, low-income families have received state care.
The president pays special attention to the protection of moral values. All religious communities in the country receive financial assistance from the state.
Under Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, Azerbaijan has actively participated in various international social and cultural projects. The country's name tops among the leaders in the fight against the pandemic. On presidential instructions, COVID-19 vaccines have been sent to a number of countries worldwide.
President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev has dedicated nearly 30 of his 60-year-long life to Azerbaijan’s national state-building. Throughout this period, he has achieved successes in Azerbaijan’s recognition in the world, in the liberation of lands from occupation, training of national personnel, strengthening of the economy as well as beefing up security in the world and in the region. Saying "Karabakh is Azerbaijan and an exclamation mark" at the 16th annual meeting of the Valday International Discussion Club in Sochi on October 3, 2019, a year later President Ilham Aliyev proved to the world that he is a charismatic leader.
The army building under his leadership destroyed the army built by three presidents and one prime minister of Armenia in 44 days. Ilham Aliyev also proved he is a skilful organizer.
The 60-year-old president is now heading the construction and revitalization of the liberated Azerbaijani lands. The above-mentioned issues are among the many activities carried out by the president and the supreme commander-in-chief. It is beyond any doubt that he will continue to be the author of major projects for Azerbaijan to become more powerful.
President Ilham Aliyev is also taking important steps to establish social, economic, and cultural ties between the Turkic states. On November 12, 2021, the president was awarded the Supreme Order of the Turkic World. The resolution adopted by the Council of Heads of States of Turkic-speaking countries reads: “Under the leadership of President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, at the suggestion of His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey, the Council of Heads of State decided to award His Excellency Ilham Aliyev with the "Supreme Order of the Turkic World" with great honour for the historic victory that led to stability.
"For the historic victory that has ensured the liberation of the territories of the Azerbaijani Republic from occupation and for restoration of the territorial integrity, which made an important contribution to the Turkic unity and opened the way to achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region, the Council of Heads of States at the proposal of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a decision to award President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, his excellency Ilham Aliyev the Supreme Order of the Turkic world.”.
Highly appreciating his activity, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “Under your resolute leadership, the occupation of Karabakh, which lasted for almost thirty years, was ended in 44 days. This is of great importance not only for our Azerbaijani brothers, but for the entire Turkic world."
This shows that just as Azerbaijan has an important geopolitical role in the unity of the Turkic world, President Ilham Aliyev is a leading political leader in the region.
Happy 60th birthday, president of the 103-year-old Azerbaijani Republic!
Wishing you bigger successes in the name of Azerbaijan!