New fire station construction kicks off in Azerbaijan's Talish Step toward revitalizing Karabakh

The construction of a two-vehicle facility for the fire protection unit of the State Fire Service under the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) is set to begin in Talish village, Aghdara district.

According to the unified internet portal for public procurement, the Capital Construction Department of the MES has initiated preparatory work for this project, Caliber.Az reports.

The contract for the construction has been awarded to FIM Group Limited Liability Company, amounting to  2,439,616.19 manats ($1.4 million).

In addition to the Talysh facility, plans are underway for the construction of fire station buildings in the Hadrut settlement of the Khojavand district, as well as in the Zangilan, Gubadli, and Fuzuli districts. Preparations have also started for similar buildings in the Shusha and Aghdam districts.

The Azerbaijani government is making substantial investments to transform Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur into vibrant economic hubs. The “2022-2026 Social and Economic Development Strategy of Azerbaijan” and the “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development” programs outline a comprehensive approach to revitalizing these regions. Since 2021, over $10.37 billion has been allocated from the state budget for ongoing reconstruction efforts.

A key component of the reconstruction initiative is the “I State Program on the Great Return to the Territories Liberated from Occupation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.” This program underscores the government’s commitment to sustainable resettlement and development in these areas. As a first step, demining operations were launched, clearing 1,536,652,787 square meters of land from mines and unexploded ordnance between 2020 and 2024.

The “Great Return” program is designed to facilitate the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) back to their homes and is central to rehabilitation efforts. As of August 2024, around 8,000 individuals have returned to their native lands, with plans to accommodate up to 34,500 families (or approximately 140,000 individuals) by the end of the first phase in late 2026.

By Tamilla Hasanova