In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev presented to the world community the new stage that has opened for Azerbaijan after the 44-day Patriotic War and the political, economic and security realities that this stage has created in the region.
"For many years, I have spoken from this rostrum about the tragedies of aggression, occupation and injustice committed against Azerbaijan. Today, I will talk about our long path to victory and peace, about a new era in the history of Azerbaijan, about how the Patriotic War ended the occupation, and how we ensured peace through political means," President Ilham Aliyev said from the UN rostrum.
This speech once again confirmed the legal and political foundations of Azerbaijan's efforts to ensure its territorial integrity by ending 30 years of ineffective negotiations, in particular, by referring to Article 51 of the UN Charter - the right to self-defense.
Against the background of the non-implementation of the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council in 1993, Azerbaijan's rightful position was clearly demonstrated.
During his speech, President Ilham Aliyev noted that after nearly thirty years of fruitless negotiations, in 2020 Azerbaijan was forced to exercise its right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter: “Armenia fired ballistic missiles at our cities and villages during the war, bombed them with cluster munitions, and killed more than 100 innocent civilians. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, waged the war in full compliance with international humanitarian law. We ensured the protection of civilians and refrained from targeting non-military infrastructure. During the 44-day Patriotic War, our Armed Forces liberated the occupied territories and restored the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in accordance with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
The ideological framework of the victory achieved The President’s statement “Justice has triumphed, sovereignty has been strengthened, and peace has been de facto secured” reveals the philosophical content of the results achieved in the war and the peace process.
Azerbaijan distinguished itself not only in the war, but also in the post-conflict phase with its peace initiatives. As a manifestation of this, the negotiations held between 2022–2025 and the initialing of the text of the peace treaty in Washington in August 2025 are an important diplomatic breakthrough.
“Immediately after the Victory War, Azerbaijan declared its readiness to open a new page in relations with Armenia on the basis of mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty. We put forward five fundamental principles based on international law, presented a draft peace treaty. Then, on our initiative, the negotiation process on the draft text began from October 2022 to the summer of 2025. Despite various provocations, the negotiations yielded positive results, as they were conducted exclusively on a bilateral basis and without any external interference,” President Ilham Aliyev emphasized.
Relations with the United States at a new level
The “Trump Roadmap for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) announced at the Washington Summit demonstrated the international support for Azerbaijan’s initiatives.
The President noted that regional connectivity is the foundation of our vision for sustainable peace.
“One of the important outcomes of the Washington Summit is the “Trump Roadmap for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), which will ensure unhindered passage through the Zangezur corridor and strengthen regional connectivity. The Washington Summit also marks the beginning of a new stage in Azerbaijan-US relations. Together with President Donald Trump, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments on the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to prepare a Charter for Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States. This opens up new horizons for partnership in political, economic, energy, regional connectivity, defense, security and other areas.”
US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend the implementation of the "907th Amendment" was a historic step towards strengthening trust. As a continuation of this, the complete repeal of the amendment could ensure the elevation of the relationship between the two countries to the level of a strategic partnership. The establishment of the Strategic Working Group based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in August also plays the role of a practical mechanism in this direction.
“President Trump’s decision to suspend the implementation of the sanctions imposed against Azerbaijan in the form of Amendment 907 to the Freedom Support Act of 1992 is also a historic step. The US Congress’s rescission of Amendment 907 would put an end to the legacy of double standards and strengthen trust and cooperation at a time when Azerbaijan is contributing to global security and stability. Overall, the agreements reached during my visit to the US in August are of historic importance. I would like to thank US President Donald Trump for opening a new page in Azerbaijan-US relations, for his decision to elevate relations to the level of a strategic partnership, and for his support for the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” President Ilham Aliyev added.
Post-Conflict Challenges: Reconstruction and Humanitarian Issues
The “Great Return” program in the liberated territories is a key priority of the large-scale reconstruction process. However, the threat of landmines and the fate of approximately 4,000 Azerbaijanis who went missing during the Armenian occupation remain serious humanitarian challenges. The President’s raising these issues in international forums strengthens Azerbaijan’s humanitarian agenda.
The head of state noted that in 2020, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale reconstruction program in the liberated territories immediately after the Victory in the Patriotic War: "Armenia razed hundreds of our cities and villages to the ground during the occupation, and purposefully destroyed 65 mosques. This was the policy of Armenia, which was ruled by war criminals for nearly 30 years. And we are rebuilding the razed villages and cities. More than 50 thousand people already live, work and study in the liberated lands within the framework of the "Great Return" Program. One of the most serious humanitarian problems facing Azerbaijan in the post-conflict period is the threat posed by mines laid during the Armenian occupation. From November 2020 to the present day, more than 400 Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel have been killed or seriously injured as a result of mine explosions. This widespread landmine threat hinders the safe return of displaced persons and the implementation of reconstruction projects."
Energy and sustainable development vision
Azerbaijan’s role as a reliable partner in energy security was particularly emphasized. The integration of the Caspian region into international markets, diversification of energy supply, and investments in renewable energy sources – solar, wind, and hydroelectric power plants – determine the country’s strategic course.
At the same time, the President spoke out against unrealistic “green goals” and stressed the importance of a gradual and realistic transition process. Azerbaijan also introduced a new model of regional cooperation with a partnership initiative in the reconstruction of Syria’s energy infrastructure.
The President emphasized in his speech at the UN that energy security is linked to peace, regional connectivity, and economic development. "Azerbaijan continues to play an active role in advancing these goals globally. Azerbaijan has established itself as a reliable and indispensable partner in ensuring the energy security of many countries. We play a strategic role in connecting the Caspian region to international markets through diversified oil and gas pipelines. We currently export natural gas to 14 countries. This makes Azerbaijan the world's leading supplier of gas via pipeline. This reflects our strategic role in ensuring energy security in Europe and beyond and diversifying supply routes. In addition, Azerbaijan and Syria have recently strengthened their bilateral partnership, focusing on energy supply, infrastructure development and post-conflict reconstruction. Since August of this year, Azerbaijan has started supplying natural gas to Syria from Türkiye, thereby significantly reducing the country's electricity shortage. Azerbaijan is also attracting large investments in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power. By 2030, approximately 40 percent of our energy production will be provided by renewable sources."
Transport and digital integration
Azerbaijan’s international logistics and transport corridors – East-West, North-South, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Alat Port and air transport infrastructure make the country one of the main hubs of Eurasia. The “Digital Silk Road” project demonstrates Azerbaijan’s new strategic role in information and communication technologies.
As the head of state said, connectivity projects such as the East-West and North-South corridors pass through our country. "Since 2022, we have witnessed an increase in cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor by about 90 percent. Transit times along the corridor have significantly decreased. The largest merchant fleet in the Caspian, the Alat International Trade Port, whose capacity will reach 25 million tons per year in the coming years, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, 9 international airports, the largest cargo airline in the region, and other factors have turned Azerbaijan into one of the international transport hubs. There is great potential for cooperation in the field of digital connectivity. Azerbaijan is advancing its digital transformation initiative through a significant project such as the "Digital Silk Road". This project also includes plans to build an advanced fiber-optic cable network along the bottom of the Caspian Sea, which will enable Azerbaijan to become a major regional digital hub."
Economy, reforms and social outcomes
As a result of the development of the non-oil sector, transparent reforms and improvement of the investment climate, Azerbaijan has reduced poverty and unemployment to 5% while maintaining economic growth rates. Positive assessments by international rating agencies stimulate profitable investment flows to the country.
President Ilham Aliyev, who recently announced that two leading international rating agencies (“Moody’s” and “Fitch”) had upgraded Azerbaijan’s rating, noted that Azerbaijan was given a profitable investment grade, citing a very strong external balance, low public debt and large assets of the sovereign wealth fund as its main strengths. “This confirms the level of economic stability, strong fiscal discipline and a favorable investment climate in our country. Our external debt is only 6.5 percent of GDP, which is one of the lowest in the world. Azerbaijan’s foreign exchange reserves are approximately 16 times higher than our external debt.”
President Ilham Aliyev’s speech at the UN rostrum demonstrated Azerbaijan’s victories not only in war but also in peacebuilding. This speech outlines the contours of Azerbaijan's new strategic vision from diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian perspectives: strengthening sovereignty, deepening regional and global integration, and a reliable partnership in sustainable development and energy security.
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ANALYSIS'>
