Some 20,000 former IDPs will be relocated to their homelands by the end of 2024, the Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Special Assignments Elchin Amirbayov said at the 3rd International Conference on Mine Action, themed "Mitigating Environmental Impact of Landmines: Resource Mobilization for Safe and Green Future" held in Baku, Report informs.
“As stated in the slogan of today's conference, we strive to reduce the environmental impact of mines and create a safe and green future. Mine action is a very important activity, especially after a conflict. A major reconstruction is being carried out in the liberated territories which are all being built from scratch. Yesterday you saw that the residents started their lives from scratch. In total, the work for the return of nearly 800,000 former IDPs to their homes is proceeding rapidly. Some 20,000 former IDPs will be relocated by the end of this year, and a total of nine cities will be rebuilt. Since 2021, about $7 billion have been invested in restoration and reconstruction work,” he said.
Amirbayov stressed that Armenia's refusal to provide mine maps complicates the situation: “Azerbaijan has taken responsibility for the work to be done. We hope that Armenia also understands these obligations. The repatriation of former IDPs is delayed because Azerbaijan is among the top five countries contaminated with landmines. 361 Azerbaijani citizens have been victims of landmines since 2020. The landmine problem is so massive that it will take years to complete this process. But today we can proudly say that we have an agency like ANAMA equipped with advanced technology. We hope that this conference will allow the international community to participate in burden sharing.”
The presidential representative added that action should be taken together with the international community in such an important matter. He thanked the UN for its participation in mine action and long-term cooperation: “A protocol of intent was signed yesterday. This will become a great hub for knowledge sharing. I thank all our international partners for their role in demining.”