Baku, September 3, 2026: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has called humanitarian demining an essential foundation for post-conflict urban recovery, safe settlements and the dignified return of displaced people to their homes.
In a message to participants of the 4th International Mine Action Conference, themed “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements,” President Aliyev said mines and unexploded ordnance remained among the most serious humanitarian, security and development challenges facing many parts of the world.
He said explosive hazards continued to claim lives, injure civilians, damage infrastructure and delay reconstruction long after conflicts had ended.
“Humanitarian demining is an imperative commitment for safe communities,” the Azerbaijani president said, stressing that no city, village or settlement could be fully rebuilt unless the land was cleared of mines and explosive remnants of war.
President Aliyev said Azerbaijan had faced the challenge on an extensive scale following nearly three decades of occupation of its territories by Armenia. According to preliminary estimates, more than 13 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory has been affected by mines and unexploded ordnance, with the liberated territories of Garabagh and East Zangezur remaining heavily contaminated.
He said the contamination posed serious obstacles to reconstruction, economic activity, safe mobility and the return of former internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands.
Since the end of the 2020 Patriotic War, 437 Azerbaijani citizens have become victims of mine and explosive ordnance incidents, including civilians, servicemen, deminers, journalists and people involved in reconstruction activities. Of them, 73 were killed and 364 sustained severe injuries.
Overall, President Aliyev said, more than 3,500 Azerbaijani citizens had suffered from mines since the beginning of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, including children, women and other civilians.
He also criticized the minefield maps provided by Armenia as largely inaccurate and incomplete, saying mines and booby traps had been discovered not only at former military positions but also along roads, near residential areas, cemeteries, agricultural land, forests and riverbanks.
Despite the scale of the challenge, he said Azerbaijan remained committed to ensuring the safe, dignified and sustainable return of its citizens.
According to President Aliyev, more than 298,000 hectares of land have so far been cleared in the liberated territories, while 260,147 mines and unexploded ordnance have been detected and neutralized.
He said Azerbaijan was using advanced technologies, innovative approaches and modern management systems to increase the speed, safety and effectiveness of demining operations.
The president linked mine action directly with Azerbaijan’s broader reconstruction priorities, including infrastructure development, agricultural revival, environmental protection, social reintegration and economic recovery.
Under the country’s Great Return programme, cities and villages destroyed during the occupation are being rebuilt, while roads, tunnels, airports, energy facilities, schools, hospitals, cultural monuments and residential settlements are being restored.
President Aliyev said nearly 40,000 former internally displaced persons had so far returned to their homes in the liberated territories, while the total population currently living in Garabagh and East Zangezur had exceeded 90,000.
He said Azerbaijan was developing an integrated model of post-conflict recovery combining mine action, urban planning, infrastructure development, environmental restoration, digital solutions, social services, public administration and the return of displaced people.
The Azerbaijani president also called for stronger international solidarity in addressing the global mine problem. He urged the international community to provide predictable funding, modern equipment, technical expertise, training, technology transfer and long-term partnerships to accelerate mine clearance.
He noted that Azerbaijan had declared humanitarian demining its 18th National Sustainable Development Goal and continued to advocate for recognition of the issue as a global priority.
President Aliyev expressed confidence that the Baku conference would provide a platform for exchanging experience, strengthening international mine-action standards, promoting innovation and advancing cooperation aimed at building safe, resilient and sustainable communities.
