ICRC to close Baku office on September 3 Cooperation with Azerbaijan continues

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will close its office in Baku on September 3, the organisation has announced.

Daphne Mare, head of the ICRC in Armenia, told journalists that while the Baku office will shut, work with Azerbaijani authorities will continue and communication channels will remain open, Caliber.Az reports.

Discussions on the details of ongoing collaboration are still underway, she added.

Mare also noted that the peace agreement between Yerevan and Baku explicitly calls for cooperation with international bodies to clarify the fate of those missing in the conflict.

The ICRC confirmed it will continue offering its services as a neutral intermediary in the region.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1992, providing humanitarian assistance in conflict-affected areas.

Its work has focused on clarifying the fate of missing persons, supporting mine risk awareness, offering psychosocial support, and promoting international humanitarian law (IHL).

In collaboration with the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, the ICRC helped identify thousands of missing individuals and collected biological samples from families.

It also reached over 44,000 people through landmine and unexploded ordnance awareness sessions, while providing mental health support to those affected by conflict and displacement.

Additionally, the ICRC conducted IHL workshops and training for military personnel to strengthen compliance with humanitarian norms.

By Aghakazim Guliyev