Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Economy presents IV Voluntary National Report to UN

We strategically integrate the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reintegration of our liberated territories into our national development strategy to not only reaffirm our commitment to regional stability but also to understand the transformative impact of resolving conflicts on broader economic perspectives, Azernews reports, citing Deputy Minister of Economy Sahib Mammadov as he said said this during the presentation of Azerbaijan's Fourth Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

S. Mammadov provided detailed information to representatives of member states about the national strategies covered in the report.

"The insights gained from our reports not only inform our ongoing national strategies but also offer valuable lessons for the global community in managing the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable development.

The report covers the implementation status of national commitments from 2021 to 2024, highlighting significant action plans undertaken to mitigate the impact of global and local challenges on the realization of the sustainable development goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. We emphasize the principle of leaving no one behind, continuous stakeholder engagement, and strengthening partnerships to achieve the SDGs.

Additionally, we demonstrated the importance of ensuring policy coherence for sustainable development. We explore how Azerbaijan manages the complexities of coordinating diverse sectoral policies to maximize their impact on sustainable development.

Our report shows how Azerbaijan plays a decisive role as an architect of strategic alliances in strengthening partnerships for the implementation of the SDGs. We examine joint efforts with international organizations, stakeholders, and other countries to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development initiatives. We firmly believe that high-level dialogue dedicated to the SDGs is crucial. In this regard, we organized four high-level dialogues on the SDGs and high-level international conferences focused on the SDGs," he added.

The Deputy Minister emphasized the critical nature of financial mechanisms for the SDGs and noted that the report explores the financial sources, investment frameworks, and financial instruments supporting Azerbaijan's sustainable development initiatives.

"Azerbaijan's strong commitment to the sustainable development goals is reflected in our national development agenda, particularly in the 20 strategic national priorities for socio-economic development in Azerbaijan. This transformative long-term strategy and our achievements in socio-economic development include the reconstruction and rehabilitation of liberated territories. Enhancing economic potential and significantly improving social welfare are guided by the principles of the 2030 Agenda.

In the last decade, we have witnessed substantial growth, with the minimum wage in the country nearly tripling. The average monthly salary has doubled, and minimum pensions have increased by 2.4 times. The emphasis on inclusive development expressed in our strategic documents highlights our commitment to promoting a dynamic, inclusive society built on the principles of social justice," he noted.

S. Mammadov also addressed the mine crisis Azerbaijan faces.

"The damage caused by mines to our country is enormous. There are 3,400 Azerbaijani victims of mine explosions, with nearly 300 having died. Among them, 358 are children, and 30 are women.

Unfortunately, Azerbaijan ranks among the top five most mined countries globally, with more than 1.5 million mines scattered across 12% of its territories. Azerbaijan remains resolute in its commitment to resolving this humanitarian crisis. We have initiated extensive development efforts to build vital infrastructure and create safe and sustainable communities in our liberated territories. We call on other mine-affected countries to support our initiative. Azerbaijan has taken significant steps to implement an integrated national financing framework and an SDG investment map to expand financing for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs. Environmental sustainability stands as a cornerstone of Azerbaijan's development strategy, underscoring our commitment to promoting a clean environment and achieving green energy. Energy transition and green transformation hold central positions in our agenda, with the aim to increase the share of renewable energy to 24% of installed power capacity for electricity generation by 2026 and to 30% by 2030.

In line with our nationally determined contributions, we are committed to achieving a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. Additionally, we have voluntarily committed to creating a net-zero emission zone in the Garabagh and Eastern Zangezur regions of Azerbaijan. In line with our commitment to sustainable development, Azerbaijan is preparing to host COP20 in 2024. We envision playing a key role in facilitating global dialogue and cooperation to achieve successful outcomes at this juncture," he stated.