24 November 2024

Sunday, 03:06

VICTORIOUS STRATEGIST

Behind Azerbaijan's success over the past 20 years is the name of Ilham Aliyev

Author:

01.11.2023

Ilham Aliyev became the new ruler of the Azerbaijani state twenty years ago. On October 15, 2003, he was first elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Aliyev's inauguration took place on October 31, 2003. The success of his domestic and foreign policies secured the popular support o the president thanks to the results of presidential elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018.

 

Development and stability

During his presidency, Ilham Aliyev continued the state development strategy laid down by national leader Heydar Aliyev. Thanks to this strategy Azerbaijan has made significant progress in a wide range of areas, including military, politics, economy and social.

Ilham Aliyev's domestic policy demonstrates a stable social and political stability, high economic indicators, protection of national spiritual and cultural values followed by transformations in all spheres of the social life and consistent strengthening of the efficiency of the state governance mechanism.

Historical achievements of the Aliyev administration have contributed to the strengthening of Azerbaijan's independent statehood. Participating in regional and global energy, transport and communication projects, Azerbaijan under Ilham Aliyev's leadership has become a leading country in the South Caucasus, one of the key integration hubs of Eurasia, a transport and energy corridor linking West and East, North and South. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the Southern Corridor and other projects are concrete results of President Aliyev's activities of great geopolitical significance.

 

Successful diplomacy

Ilham Aliyev's diplomacy is based on the balanced foreign policy established by his predecessor, Heydar Aliyev, contributes to strengthening Azerbaijan's position in the international arena through establishing good relations with other countries and various international organisations.

Defending the ideas of equality and justice in international relations, Azerbaijan advocates serious reforms in international relations, particularly in the UN, the largest global organisation. Azerbaijan's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2012-2013 and its presidency in this key body was a great historical event for the country.

As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Azerbaijan puts efforts to resolve the urging problems of the world community, triumph of international law, and peaceful cooperation among all countries. During its chairmanship of this major international organisation in 2019-2023, Azerbaijan has strengthened its authority, drawing the attention of the world community to the problems of poor countries.

Azerbaijan has been one of the greatest contributors to the fight against COVID-19. Largely due to the personal efforts of President Aliyev, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution to ensure equal, affordable, timely and universal access to coronavirus vaccines.

Thanks to President Aliyev's purposeful activities, Azerbaijan has also joined the space club by launching space surveillance satellites and holding the International Astronautics Congress in Baku on October 2-6m 2023.

 

Garabagh is Azerbaijan!

President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev played an invaluable personal role in securing the victory of the Azerbaijani people and state in the Second Garabagh War. This victory inscribed Ilham Aliyev's name in the history of Azerbaijan in golden letters.

Meanwhile, the achievement of the Victory was a consequence, first of all, of many years of army construction carried out in Azerbaijan under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev. Purposeful work on strengthening the personnel potential of the Azerbaijani Army, providing it with modern and effective weapons, establishing not only military, but also economic, political, diplomatic, information and propaganda bases of the Great Victory - all these are the results of Ilham Aliyev's strategy, the priority goal of which was initially proclaimed the liberation of the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia.

During the 44 day war (September 27-November 9, 2020), Azerbaijan liberated its lands and restored its territorial integrity. On November 8, the day of liberation of the city of Shusha, which was a decisive event in the course of the war, Ilham Aliyev announced: "Today I also visited the grave of great leader Heydar Aliyev, paid my tribute to his memory. I said to myself that I am happy because I fulfilled my father's will. We liberated Shusha! This is a great victory! Today the souls of our martyrs, the soul of our great leader rejoices! Congratulations, Azerbaijan! Congratulations, fellow Azerbaijanis of the world!... Dear Shusha, you are free! Dear Shusha, we're back! Dear Shusha, we will revive you!"

 

Azerbaijani flag in Khankendi, Khojaly, Askeran...

The sovereignty of Azerbaijan over the entire territory of Garabagh was finally established as a result of one-day local anti-terrorist measures carried out by the heroic Azerbaijani Army on September 19-20, 2023. The criminal separatist junta created by Armenia during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories was defeated. At the same time, Karabakh Armenians can become the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and realise their rights on the basis of the constitution and legislation of the country.

President Ilham Aliyev hoisted the flag of Azerbaijan in the towns of Khankendi, Khojaly, Agdara, Khojavand, as well as Askeran and the Sarsang reservoir. In his speech delivered in Khankendi, the Azerbaijani leader said: "Exactly twenty years ago, the Azerbaijani people trusted me and elected me as their new president. At that time I gave my people my word that I would defend the national interests of the people and state of Azerbaijan, protect the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. I swore an oath by putting my hand on the constitution and the Holy Qur'an. I am glad that over the past 20 years all the promises I made, all the tasks I set for myself have been fulfilled. Today, the Azerbaijani nation sincerely rejoices and praises the Almighty for what we could achieve. We have been waiting for this day for more than 30 years..."

 

Revival of liberated territories

Immediately after achieving victory in the Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani state gave a start to the process of revival of districts, towns and villages completely destroyed during the Armenian occupation. This process, as President Aliyev underlined, will be the driver of further progressive development of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This aspect has been reflected in the National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development Azerbaijan 2030 approved by President Ilham Aliyev.

The revival of Garabagh and East Zangezur from the ashes is clearly demonstrated by the beginning of the return of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis to the liberated territories. The establishment of the Garabagh and East Zangezur economic regions was a landmark event. Thus, the artificial political-administrative separation of the highland part of one of the largest historical regions of Azerbaijan - Garabagh - realised during the Soviet period was put an end to. In addition, Zangezur officially returned to the political, administrative and economic life of the Azerbaijani state after a century.

 

Initiator of peace

Azerbaijan's victory in the Second Garabagh War has established a new reality that opens up the prospect of lasting peace and multilateral integration for all countries in the region.

Azerbaijan offered Armenia peace and normalisation of bilateral relations. Ilham Aliyev urged the neighbouring country to use this chance, conclude a peace treaty on the basis of mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and unblock transport communications. Part of this process promises to be the creation of the Zangezur corridor, which will link the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with the rest of Azerbaijan.

Thus, President Ilham Aliyev has set a high bar for the strategic development of the state of Azerbaijan. Following this strategy, independent and strong Azerbaijan aims to achieve new historical victories.



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