Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visits Karabakh

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited Khankendi, Khojaly and Aghdam on December 23.

First, the head of state visited the Karkijahan settlement of the city of Khankendi, where he was updated on the ongoing development work in the settlement.

Renovation works began in May 2025. The settlement currently comprises 33 apartment buildings and 1,037 individual houses, of which 247 are uninhabitable and 790 are partially habitable. Plans include the repair of 40 houses by the end of this year and 280 houses in 2026. To date, renovation works have been completed in 30 houses. In the first phase, 30 families, comprising 115 residents, have returned to their ancestral homes.

In the individual housing area, water, electricity, and gas lines were inspected, 2 km of underground optical cable and 510 meters of power lines were installed, street lighting was ensured, and internal roads were asphalted. Additionally, major repairs were carried out at the 60-seat No. 1 nursery-kindergarten and the secondary school designed for 624 students.

Welcoming the residents, President Ilham Aliyev said:

"I congratulate you on your return to your native land after 34 years...This return process continues, and today the ‘Great Return’ Program is the most successfully implemented return program on a global scale."

The President of Azerbaijan attended the opening of the newly constructed building for the Faculty of Business and Economics at Garabagh University in the city of Khankendi. The Faculty of Business and Economics is a key academic unit focused on creating a modern learning environment. Currently, it employs 20 faculty, administrative, and technical staff, and a total of 505 students are enrolled at the bachelor’s level in seven specialties.

He also laid the foundation stone for the Engineering Faculty building. The Engineering Faculty is a key academic unit focused on training engineering personnel equipped to meet modern technological challenges, with an emphasis on innovation and practical application. Currently, the faculty employs 19 academic, administrative, and technical staff, and a total of 314 students are enrolled.

In Khojaly districit Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of an office furniture and furniture accessories production facility owned by Accurate Az LLC in Ballija village. The facility is equipped with advanced technologies and equipment from Türkiye, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, China, and Japan. Of the total output, 60% will be exported.

Today, he also laid the foundation stone for the production facility of Saloglu Garabagh LLC in Aghdam Industrial Park. The project envisages the construction of a factory for the production of furniture, including various types of living room and bedroom sets, as well as upholstered and metal furniture accessories. Production will utilize technologies from Türkiye, Germany, and China. 

In addition, Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn Aghdam hotel in the city of Aghdam.