Baku hosting summit of Non-Aligned Movement

Baku is hosting the Summit of Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group on fighting against COVID-19. The summit is attended by representatives from about 70 countries, including the presidents of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Libya and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Summit of Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group on fighting against COVID-19 is being held in Baku today. 

Representatives from about 70 countries arrived in Azerbaijan. Presidents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Libya; Vice-Presidents of Cuba, Gabon, and Tanzania; Prime Ministers of Algeria and Kenya, and high-ranking representatives of various countries are taking part in the event.

In addition, heads of international organizations, including President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korosi, Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili, Director General of the International Organization for Migration António Vitorino, Director General of the UN Office in Geneva Tatiana Valovaya, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Khusrav Noziri, as well as ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors, and others also attend the event.

Ilham Aliyev's speech

Opening the event as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, Ilham Aliyev announced a minute of silence in memory of victims of the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

New world order

Ilham Aliyev stressed that as a chair of NAM, Baku's aim is to defend justice and international law. The head of state explained that the new world order is in the process of reshaping - now the world is witnessing the most serious East-West confrontation since the end of the Cold War, with repercussions for the remaining part of the world.

UN Security Council

Ilham Aliyev also mentioned that the UN Security Council is inefficient today. He recalled that some Security Council resolutions have been implemented within days, but in the case of Azerbaijan, Armenia ignored the four Security Council's resolutions demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of its armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan for almost 30 years.

The head of state said that the issue, which has been discussed worldwide for many years, is the UN system’s reforms: the UN Security Council is reminiscent of the past and does not reflect the current reality. The composition of the Security Council should be expanded to make it more representative and more geographically fair.

Ilham Aliyev added that in 2020 Azerbaijan itself restored its territorial integrity and historical justice by military-political means and enforced the Security Council resolutions' implementation, which probably was the first case in the world since the establishment of the UN.

Consequences of Armenian occupation and mine threat

The Azerbaijani president recalled that shortly after the end of the Karabakh war, Azerbaijan presented five basic principles for the peace agreement to Armenia based on the mutual recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He thanked NAM countries for their firm stance in supporting the just position of Azerbaijan and not allowing one-sided and biased anti-Azerbaijani statements to pass in the UN Security Council.

Ilham Aliyev noted that the liberated territories of Azerbaijan have been turned into a textbook example of urbicide, culturicide and ecocide, seen by thousands of foreign diplomats, journalists, NGOs and politicians.

The president stressed that Azerbaijan has been among the most heavily mine-infested countries in the world due to the Armenian occupation: some 300 Azerbaijanis have been killed or seriously injured in mine incidents since November 2020.

Since a number of NAM member countries are among the most contaminated countries by mines and unexploded ordnances, Ilham Aliyev suggested forming a Like-Minded Group of Mine-Affected Countries to make their voice heard globally.