The chairman of State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs Rovshan Rzayev met with recently appointed representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) in Azerbaijan Mrs. Bik Lum on March 31.

Congratulating Mrs. Bik Lum on her appointment to new position, the chairman of State Committee wished her the success in her activities in our country.

The guest was informed of the problem of refugees and IDPs faced by Azerbaijan as a result of the occupation and deportation policy of Armenia, the measures taken in order to solve this problem, the works performed in order to ensure the return to liberated territories. It was noted that refugees and IDPs had always been subject to the attention and care of the government. It was noted that the solution of the problems of refugees and IDPs occupied important place among the priorities of social policy of the President Ilham Aliyev, and first vice- president Mehriban Aliyeva paid special attention to the protection of the rights and interests of the persons of this category.

Emphasizing that the meeting coincided with the day of genocide of Azerbaijanis, it was noted with regret that there were those who wanted to continue ethnic enmity against our people demonstrated in the last two hundred years, and the importance of the support by international organizations in establishing peace and tranquility in the region was emphasized.

The guest was informed of large- scale projects implemented by the government in order to revive liberated territories of Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions and to ensure sustainable settlement on these territories. It was noted that necessary measures were taken in order to organize voluntary, safe and proper return of Internally Displaced Persons to their native lands based on the principles of international law. State Committee noted that totally 510 people had already been resettled to Zangilan region Aghali village and Tartar region Talysh village within the Great Return.

The support of international organizations demonstrated from the first days of the problem of refugees and IDP in our country was noticed at the meeting with satisfaction. It was noted that State Committee cooperated with UNHCR within the project “Increasing the participation of the IDP women in social, economic and cultural fields”, different trainings, round tables and regular meetings had been organized over the past year. At the same time, it was noted that there was a hope in the effectiveness of joint activities with UNHCR in the matters related to the Great Return.  

Bik Lum expressed her gratitude for warm meting and congratulations. Emphasizing that the UNHCR gave great importance in its activities in Azerbaijan to the projects related to refugees and IDPs, as well the return of the IDPs to their native lands, the guest said that the organization would do its best in order to expand cooperation in this field, the projects related to them on gender equality, prevention of violence, mine threat, the projects on the support to increasing the employment were implemented. It was noted that these projects supporting proper return of Internally Displaced Persons to their native lands would be continued in the future.

The discussions were conducted related to mutually interesting matters.