Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev delivered his New Year address to the nation, celebrating the country's achievements in 2024 and reaffirming the government's commitment to peace and progress.
He noted that Azerbaijan successfully concluded the year 2024, as all the goals the country set at the beginning of the year have been met.
"The events unfolding in the world today are clearly visible to all of us. New wars, confrontations and conflicts are flaring up. Bloody clashes continue in different regions of the world. Azerbaijan, however, lives in peace, tranquility, security and stability. I am sure that stability and peace will be eternal in the future too," Ilham Aliyev said.
Gazakh villages liberation
The president named the liberation of four villages of Gazakh district the most important event of 2024. He noted that they never forgot about these villages.
"We regained four villages of Gazakh district without a single shot being fired, through political means. But it is also true that if the events that have occurred in Azerbaijan-Armenia relations over the past four years had not taken place, Armenia, of course, would never have voluntarily returned these villages to us. They were forced to do it. They did this realizing our political and military power," Ilham Aliyev said.
Armenia's armament
The Azerbaijani leader believes that Armenia's large-scale armament campaign is yet another source of threat to the region.
"If we were to note the most worrying moment for us this year, of course, it would be Armenia's armament. There is no logical explanation for this. Armenia has faced a complete fiasco with its policy of aggression. Their military defeats in 2020 and then 2023 should have shown them the right path. We were trying to do this and are continuing our efforts to this day," Ilham Aliyev said.
The head of state noted that he has repeatedly urged during negotiations with Armenia to stay away from this dangerous path. He stressed that the foreign circles and foreign countries provoking Yerevan and pushing them to attack Azerbaijan again will not stand behind them, because no force in this region can compete with Azerbaijan militarily.
Karabakh restoration
The restoration of Karabakh and East Zangezur is progressing successfully. About 10,000 former internally displaced persons have already returned to these lands, more than 30,000 people live and work in liberated territories. In 2025, the number of citizens who will return there will increase significantly. The head of state noted that in three years Azerbaijan has allocated more than 19 billion manats for the restoration of liberated territories.
Azerbaijan's economy
In 2024, Azerbaijan's GDP grew by more than 4%, the non-oil sector expanded by more than 6%, and the non-oil industrial sector saw an increase of over 7%. Azerbaijan has increased its foreign exchange reserves and currently have more than $72 billion in foreign exchange reserves. Today, Azerbaijan's foreign debt decreased to $5.2 billion.
Starting from 2025, the minimum wage in the country will be increased to 400 manats, and the minimum pension - to 320 manats.
COP29
The head of state recalled the COP29 climate conference was successfully held in Azerbaijan in 2024 - the largest international event in the history of independent Azerbaijan.
"The 76,000 registered participants witnessed Azerbaijan's potential firsthand. A total of 197 countries, 80 heads of state and government and vice presidents participated in the conference. This once again shows that all the efforts of some Western countries, so-called non-governmental organizations under their control and fake media outlets that wanted to use COP29 against Azerbaijan for eleven months were in vain," Ilham Aliyev said.
Presidential election
The Azerbaijani leader also recalled the people of Azerbaijan placed great trust in him again, the support shown to him in the presidential election inspires and strengthens him even more.
"Azerbaijan has been developing confidently, successfully and with dignity for 21 years. During these years, there have been difficulties, moments of trial, wars and groundless accusations against us. But none of them, not a single one of them could divert us from our path. We have restored our territorial integrity, and despite the wishes of world powers, we have also restored our state sovereignty – also contrary to the will of great powers. We are also governing our country with confidence. Those who want to put a spoke in our wheel will fail again," Ilham Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani president congratulated Azerbaijanis living all over the world on the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and wished good health, prosperity, happiness and the best of luck.
