From grenade launchers to Sustainable Development Goals Life breathed back to liberated territories

Handheld anti-tank grenade launchers (RPGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - what do they have in common? However, even those who fortunately have not seen RPGs in action and have a vague idea of the SDGs, understand that where grenades go off, it is difficult, almost impossible, to achieve a positive development of any society.

It is hard to describe the SDGs, the concept of sustainable development developed by the United Nations, in any concise way, because it is a huge set of goals and objectives whose solution must ensure a balance between three main components: economic, social, and environmental. The overall aim, however, is to ensure a healthy life and promote well-being and a more sustainable future for all people on the planet.

The SDGs encompass almost all areas of human activity and are of direct relevance to professionals of all kinds, including those providing humanitarian and development assistance in collaboration with government officials.

Meanwhile, returning to the topic of RPGs, it should be stressed that live grenades come into play when the SDGs, or rather what lies behind the acronym, are ignored. It would, of course, be naive to claim that all conflicts in the world occur solely because somewhere people do not have access to clean water, sanitation, etc. But it is certainly true that if the problems of poverty, hunger, social inequality, and access to health care and energy are not adequately addressed, the chances that people will turn to violence to obtain at least minimal goods for themselves increase dramatically. At the same time, no matter how complex the triggers of the conflict are, decent living conditions are one of the most effective mechanisms for preventing a tough confrontation. The lack of such mechanisms is the most powerful catalyst for violence.

So how does one explain the antagonistic relationship between RPGs and SDGs, i.e. war on the one hand, and peace, stability, and economic development on the other? Let's start with the basic facts. Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015 by 193 countries. They focus on eradicating poverty, protecting the planet from harmful pollution, and ensuring prosperity for all. Related activities and issues are also known as the 2030 Development Agenda. However whimsically grand and beautiful these noble goals may be, their practical value is not always evident. Despite many assurances and declarations, the SDGs remain a pipe dream for many countries. The goals, as defined by the UN, largely promise to live in a mythical land of dreams with no hunger and hatred. They paint a world full of joy and harmony. But, as a rule, "staying" in such a paradise is usually limited to a speech on this topic by another lecturer at one of the top-level meetings, where people gather to make statements prepared by their assistants and forget most of what is being discussed at the closing of the session.

This is more so in a post-crisis and post-conflict world. Thus, bringing together the SDGs and demining, which is a key element of post-conflict reconstruction in any war zone, seems particularly implausible. Any attempt to introduce SDGs to people who do not know what their children will eat tomorrow or whether they will be blown up by enemy mines is futile. However, moving from RPGs to SDGs, rather than the other way around, is vital. We have to admit that at first glance this link seems rather artificial. Why should someone who is concerned about providing refugees and IDPs with indispensable necessities worry about some theoretical values?

Nevertheless, we have witnessed a somewhat unexpected but undeniable link between demining and the SDGs. At least the experience of many crisis countries suggests this. As strange as it may sound, it is both necessary and rational to reflect on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda while working on urgent needs in Somalia or Afghanistan, Yemen, or Libya.

After 44 days of fierce fighting in September-November 2020, Azerbaijan liberated its internationally recognised territories from 30 years of occupation. In the early 1990s Armenian armed forces occupied Azerbaijani lands, forcing almost one million Azerbaijanis to flee their homes. This fact has been duly assessed in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Four were adopted - in April, June, October, and November 1994. Azerbaijan's victory in 2020 was the first precedent of a country enforcing UNSC resolutions on its own.

Both Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived in Karabakh for decades and lived peacefully. The conflict provoked by the Armenian separatists has cost Azerbaijan dearly. But in 2020, after 30 years of painfully fruitless negotiations, the Azerbaijanis celebrated the liberation of hundreds of their towns and villages. The aggressor got what he deserved. But what awaited the Azerbaijanis was the desert into which the "caring" hands of the aggressors had turned these fertile lands over 30 years.

Immediately after the liberation of the territories, Azerbaijan embarked on reconstruction and rehabilitation. The country is currently implementing one of the largest post-conflict reconstruction programmes of modern times. The reconstruction and rehabilitation of liberated territories are becoming a laboratory of best practices for the whole country: smart cities, green energy, zero emissions, environmental management, and ESG investment are the new development standards. New governance mechanisms are being successfully introduced in the liberated territories through special presidential representatives. It should be stressed that all efforts to rebuild Karabakh fall almost entirely on the shoulders of Azerbaijan, both financially and in terms of governance.

In order to use a systematic solution to a wide range of issues in the liberated territories, a Coordination Headquarters has been established in Azerbaijan. It is chaired by the head of the Presidential Administration, Samir Nuriyev. There are various thematic Working Groups under the Headquarters, headed by high-ranking government officials. Some 160 staff from 55 different government agencies are assigned to the Headquarters, which also operates through technical experts engaged for specific tasks.

Azerbaijan is determined to restore the lands devastated during the occupation and make them better and more beautiful. The funds invested by the Azerbaijani government have already enabled significant progress to be made in a number of areas. Here are a few examples: more than 100 km of roads have been completed and more than 1,400 km are under construction, as well as more than 155 km of railways. Fuzuli International Airport was built in just 8 months. Two more air harbours are under construction at Zangilan and Lachin, with work at Zangilan almost completed. A number of electrical substations have been built. Azerbaijan is perhaps the only country in the world, which is intensively developing 8 cities, 8 districts, and 80 villages at the same time - a kind of "triple eight" in urban planning and architecture. And this will be the main topic of discussion at the first national forum on urban planning and development to be held in Aghdam early next month.

Meanwhile, after 19 months of intensive preparation, the first repatriates returned to their homes in Aghali village in Zangilan. And today we can proudly state - life returns to the liberated territories.

The enormous scale of reconstruction and progress achieved to date by the Azerbaijani government has been recognized by leading international organizations specializing in post-conflict development of states - UN, EU, and World Bank. The model developed by our country has become the subject of scrutiny by post-crisis experts solely because of the results and the truly national nature of the process, in which Azerbaijan takes the most serious, principled decisions on its own and puts them into practice. Of course, no matter how important roads and houses are, the number of houses built and the transport infrastructure created, they do not in themselves determine the success of restoration work. Everything that is created must be oriented towards the people who will live in the liberated territories. From this perspective, it is quite remarkable that although the SDGs were not necessarily placed at the centre of the reconstruction and recovery project in Azerbaijan, a kind of natural synergy emerged during the creation activities. In some cases, there was a surprising synchronisation of certain elements of the programmes being implemented in the liberated areas with the specific objectives and indicators of the SDGs. This is, for example, access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, which may well be the motto of Azerbaijan's national energy strategy for the liberated areas. And this is the indisputable advantage of the model chosen and implemented under the direct leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

If we realise that smart systemic reconstruction and recovery not only addresses specific problems following emergencies but can also give impetus to a country's medium- and long-term development, it has been shown to have an inevitable impact on progress towards the SDGs.

Demining, a basic precondition for the success of any post-conflict reconstruction effort, is also part of the SDGs. Thousands of people have been killed and maimed by mines in over 60 countries around the world. Huge areas continue to be mined and teeming with unexploded ordnance in 60 countries, posing a serious threat to life and health. It is also a major obstacle to reconstruction, development, and peace in the region. National mine action strategies and priorities should be closely linked to an appropriate post-conflict national development programming framework that included international funding provided by the donor community.

Azerbaijan is grateful for the financial assistance provided by several international partners, such as the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Hungary, as well as the EU and the Marshall Heritage Institute (USA). However, the total amount of aid received so far is less than $11 million. No matter how valuable every dollar is, this amount is far from what we need. Azerbaijan continues to bear the main burden of mine clearance on its own.

It goes without saying that demining is first and foremost about saving lives and protecting people. Since November 2020, more than 133 incidents involving mines and unexploded ordnance have been recorded in Azerbaijan, 40 people have been killed and 202 injured. Let's not forget that we are still in the fairly early stages of demining, and the estimated total area to be cleared of mines, as a result, is 11,286 square kilometres. As of today, only 498 square kilometres have been cleared, whereas there are still 1,479 square kilometres of confirmed minefields. A total of 63,212 mines and unexploded ordnance have been found and destroyed. The ominous legacy of the war remains a major obstacle to achieving a maximum speed of rehabilitation work, while maps of minefields, or rather information on mined areas provided by Armenia, are incomplete and largely inaccurate.

Mine action is focused on immediate humanitarian objectives. Nevertheless, mine action can and should ensure and accelerate broader sustainable development and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Goals should in turn serve as a catalyst for mine action processes. Such synthesis and synergy have already proven effective in bridging the gap between humanitarian action, development and peace. Since Azerbaijan is familiar with a multitude of mine-related problems through its sad experience, our country organized a conference on humanitarian demining and the SDGs in the spring of this year. The growing imperative of considering SDGs and mine clearance in conjunction was one of the main themes of the event. The result was a proposal by the humanitarian organization Roots of Peace, working on demining, reconstruction, and agricultural development in war-torn regions, to introduce the 18th SDG - Demining for Development.

According to a joint study by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and the UNDP, mine action is directly relevant to 12 SDGs and indirectly supports 4 others. The most prominent examples are SDG 1 (eradicating poverty), SDG 2 (eradicating hunger), and SDG 3 (good health and well-being). We believe that we should also add SDG 16, as successful demining activities are consistent with peace and justice, and SDG 11, as cities and communities cannot be sustainable without demining.

In order to restore land and bring it back to life, people must first be able to move freely in their respective areas without fear of mines. Mine clearance is thus a major key point, being both a Goal and a condition for the safe return of refugees.

The Chinese word for "crisis" consists of two characters. The meaning of one is 'danger' and the other is 'opportunity'. Some argue that it is in fact a "point of reference". Azerbaijan is determined to turn the currently opened page, turning the danger into either an opportunity or a "point of change". Although in our case, a point of change would already be an opportunity in itself.

Sultan Hajiyev, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Recovery and Reconstruction of Liberated Territories

Vugar Suleymanov, Chairman of the Board of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan