Fuad Huseynov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, spoke at the International Strategic Communications Summit - Stratcom 22 held in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Deputy Chairman of the State Committee gave detailed information to the participants of the summit about the refugee and forced displacement problem that arose in our country as a result of Armenia’s occupation and deportation policy, its historical roots and the measures implemented to solve it. It was brought to attention that refugees and IDPs are always surrounded by the attention and care of President Ilham Aliyev, and that First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva also approaches the solution of their social problems with special sensitivity. It was noted that during the period of uncertainty when our territories were occupied for nearly 30 years, consecutive measures were taken by the state to solve the social problems of the IDPs, who are part of the vulnerable group of the population. 116 residential complexes were put into use to improve the living conditions of IDPs, more than 320 thousand IDPs were provided with new apartments.
It was pointed out that in 2020, new realities emerged in the region after the Patriotic War. It was possible for refugees and IDPs to return to their native lands in accordance with international legal norms. A group of IDPs has already been returned by Azerbaijani state. 66 families and 326 people were relocated to Aghali village of Zangilan region, which was rebuilt on the basis of the “smart village” concept. It was emphasized that large-scale projects are implemented in the territories liberated from occupation, but the fact that these lands which do not have a military designation and have been under occupation for nearly 30 years have been mined by Armenia, slows down the Great Return process.
It was reported that during the Patriotic War, President Ilham Aliyev’s interviews with the world’s leading mass media, which significantly influence international public opinion, were a real master class for journalists, as well as in the political arena. At the same time, our head of state proved once again that he is a leader in the field of strategic communication.
During his speech, the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee thanked the Republic of Turkey for its support in the Patriotic War. It was stated that, with the support of international organizations and Turkey, Azerbaijan will present a new worldly model in connection with post-conflict restoration, reintegration and return of former IDPs, and will turn the liberated territories into paradise.
It should be noted that at the summit held on the topic of “Strategic Communication in the Age of Uncertainty”, discussions were held in the panels of “Building a Globally Responsive Technological Society”, “Towards More Effective Government Communication”, “Why is OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) So Popular?”, “Strategic Communication in Resolution of Conflicts as a Stabilizing Force”, “The Role of Intelligence in the Fight against Terrorism”, “Strengthening Public Communication Skills to Address Global Uncertainties”, “2022 Search and Watch Trends on Google and YouTube”, “Combating Extremism and Hate Speech” and “Turkey Social Network Map”. 52 speakers from more than 24 countries and more than 3000 guests took part in the event. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the participants of the summit at the opening ceremony.
