On works performed within 2014 year by the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

 I N F O R M A T I O N

Solution of social problems of internally displaced persons    

During the year 2014, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed 1 Decree regarding the field, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted 14 resolutions and orders, National Assembly (Milli Majlis) passed 1 Law.

Within the  years  2004-2014, the President  of the  Republic  of  Azerbaijan  Ilham Aliyev  met with  the internally  displaced  persons 28 times in the  newly built settlements, including  3 times  in 2014.

On January 20, 2014, Mr.Ilham Aliyev attended  the  opening  ceremony  of  residential complex  consisting  of  5-storey  25  residential buildings  settled  for  1500 IDP families in Ganja city  with  all the necessary  social-technical  infrastructural  facilities, on August 6, 2014  in the  opening  of  newly built settlement for  632 IDP families in Aghdam region  and  on November  14, 2014  in the opening  of newly built settlement  for  600 IDP families in Goygol region (According to the Law  No  518-IVQ, dated  on December  21, 2012  of the  Republic of Azerbaijan, that area  was entered  in the  administrative territory  of Ganja city).

In 2014, 6 new settlements and blocks were built for 632 IDP families in Aghdam region, for 320 IDP families in Beylagan region, for  600 IDP families  in Ganja city, for  230 IDP families  in Saatli region, for  200 IDP families  in Garadagh region and  one residential complex consisting  of 11  nine storey  residential  buildings was settled  for  594 families  in Mingechevir city.

At the  same time,   dwelling houses  consisting of   five-story  buildings  were  built  for  45  families  in  Balaken region, 240 families  in the Mushvigabad settlement  of  Garadagh region,  160 families in the Ramana settlement of Absheron region.

Also,  950 families and 262  families  settled temporarily  in «Ganli Gol» area of Yasamal district  were moved  to the new  apartments in connection with necessary state needs  through the Ministry  of Finance, the  construction  of  111 half built  houses  for  Meskhetian Turks was completed.

During the year 7 new residential complexes with 270 thousand square meters, schools  for  2288 pupils were constructed, also  6 kindergartens, 6 medical centres, 5 clubs - community centres, 5 administrative buildings were built and  put to use, 51,0 km roadway, 96,0  km water pipeline, 136,0 km power line, 86,0 km gas pipeline were laid, 14  reservoirs  of different capacity, 9  pump stations, 16 complete transformer substations were constructed and 59 high-voltage transformers were  installed.

So, in 2014 the living and housing conditions of 4450 families and 22 thousand internally displaced persons were improved.

Generally, during the years of 2001-2014, 89 modern settlements with  social and technical infrastructure, covering the total area  of  2,8 million square meter were built  in more than 30  cities and  regions  of the Republic  at the expense  of  funds  allocated by  the  State  Oil Fund  and  other  resources. 84 or  94 percent  out  of them with dwelling  area of  2.5 million square meter  were  constructed  in the  last 11 years.

Thus, housing and living conditions of 46 thousand families and 230 thousand   internally displaced persons have  been improved  so far and  42 thousand families or  210 thousand  (91%) of them  account  for  the  last  11 year.

Totally the funds of 5.1 billion manats have been spent so far for the social protection of refugees and IDPs. 2.3 billion manats of these funds have been provided from the state budget, 1.8 billion manats by the State Oil Fund and 1,0 billion manats by international financial institutions and international organizations operating in Azerbaijan.

86 percent of these funds or 4,4 billion manats were used in the last 11 years.

The funds of 93 million manats allocated in 2014 for the public utilities used by IDPs were paid directly to the service organizations through the treasury in the manner centralized for actual consumption under the established norms.

The funds in the amount of 118,2 million manats allocated from  state  budget for the payment of food cost allowance for 2014 were given to IDPs through ATMs.

Ministry, committee, company, concern and joint-stock companies assisted IDPs different aids worth 6, 0 million manat on various holidays.

In autumn-winter seasons (October, November, December, January and February) 40 litre kerosene was provided for 42 thousand IDPs families at the  expense  of  5,4 million manats  approved  for  the purchase  of  stove fuel.

The payment of average monthly salary of about 11 thousand internally displaced persons previously worked in enterprises, organizations funded from the budget, deprived  of  workplaces  and not recruited  due to reasons  beyond their control was continued.

Repair works was carried out in the 56 facilities settled temporarily by the IDPs.

Under the «Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) Living Standards and Livelihoods Support»Project implemented in accordance with the Loan Agreement concluded  between the Azerbaijani Government and  the World  Bank  73 community  microproject  benefiting  50 thousand  persons and with the value  of 4,2 million manats  was  performed by IDP Social Development Fund of Azerbaijan Republic during 2014 and capital repairs were completed in 46  facilities densely   settled by IDPs.

21684 persons were issued IDP card.

In 2014,  temporary  settlement  facilities  were supplied with 43  power  transforms  of various types, 42 artesian and  other water pump,  8240 meter  power cable, 71,0 thousand  meter power conductor  and  other  auxiliary equipment and  materials  by the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs.

Various  humanitarian and  development  projects  were implemented  as a result  of  transparent, free and  sustainable condition  created for  42  international, 45 local humanitarian organizations of which  activities  are  coordinated annually by   Republican Commission on International Humanitarian Aid.

In the dense temporary settlements 430 IDPs were provided with permanent, 1500 IDPs with seasonal work. As a result of mutual interaction with Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, 1787 were provided with permanent works, 403  were  given  the status  of  unemployment,  513  were  appointed  to the unemployment benefits,  513 were  involved in vocational training  courses. 369 persons  were involved  in vocational training  courses, 298 in  public works  on the base  of  requirements of labor market, 8700 were provided  with  targeted social insurance.

Under the program of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support of  Ministry  of  Economy and  Industry  of the  Azerbaijan  Republic, 7,7  million  manats of preferential loans were granted to the financing of investment project of entrepreneurship subjects of 317 internally displaced persons and  as a result, 545  new workplaces  were  opened.

Under the Loan Agreement between the World Bank and the Azerbaijani Government («IDPs Economic Development Support Project») 561 persons, including 491 IDPs have been granted microcredit with the total amount of 800 thousand manats.

In 2014, the amount of funds spent on a displaced person was about 1170 manats. It is the highest rate compared to all conflict zones around the world.

As a result of the measures taken the poverty rate among internally displaced persons decreased to 10 percent.

The meeting was held with over 200 representatives of foreign countries, international financial bodies, humanitarian and the   development organization in this field for regular delivery of truth to the world on Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. 

Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons by the UN Human Rights Council Chaloka Beyani, who visited Azerbaijan from May 18 to 24 held meetings with government agencies, also visited the areas settled by internally displaced persons and at a press conference held at the end of the visit he appreciated state support of internally displaced persons in all fields as a positive case and a good example for other conflict zones and stated that during the visit he witnessed of  successful policy pursued and positive results gained by Azerbaijan in the  field of  improving  the  living conditions  of refugees and internally  persons 

On September 29-October 3, 2014, the delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs  of Refugees and IDPs Mr.Ali Hasanov participated and  made a speech  in the  65th session of Executive Committee of the High Commissioner in Geneva. During the event the meetings we also held with António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Prime Minister of Somalia Hon.Buri.

The delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs Mr.Ali Hasanov visited the Islamic Republic of Iran on November 23-27, 2014 at the invitation of the Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social welfare, Mr. Ali Rabie of the Islamic Republic of Iran with a view to develop humanitarian cooperation further between the countries.

Within the framework of visit, the meetings were conducted with the first Vice-President of the country Isaac Jahangiri, Iran's Minister of Communication and Information Technology, co-chairman of the Azerbaijan-Iran intergovernmental commission on trade-economic and humanitarian cooperation Mahmoud Vaezi, Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social welfare, Mr. Ali Rabie, Head of the Imam Khomeini's Relief Committee Mr. Hussein Anvari, Director General of the Red Crescent Society Mirahmad Mousavi and  the management  of  «Бarakatel» Fund.

At the meeting the guests were informed about  the historical roots of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its results, problems occurred, current  state of refugees and  internally  displaced persons, works done towards the solution of their  social problems, views  were exchanged on a number of  topics of mutual interest and  they were  given  video materials  made  in various languages, reference books by the Committee regarding Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,  the improvement of living conditions of refugees and IDPs, reduction of poverty and increasing employment, also the meetings held were highlighted regularly on mass media.  

The three-volume book titled “Leyla Aliyeva: "Justice for Khojaly!" (new strategic model against international Armenian terror)  written  by the writer and publicist, Honoured Journalist Vasif Samadov and  Doctor of Philosophy in Political Sciences Rovshan Valizadeh was published  by the State Committee on Deals of Refugees and IDPs in exquisite  layout and  distributed  to  different state authorities, international and  local humanitarian  organizations. At the same time, various measures are taken for publishing those books by translating into English, Russian and Arabic languages.

In 2014, more than 70 thousand oral and written application presented by refugees and internally displaced persons to the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic and State Committee on the Affairs of Refugees and IDPs were reviewed, 15 thousand persons were received and more than 80 percent of applications were resolved positively.