UN vows continued support for Azerbaijan’s mine action efforts

The United Nations is committed to supporting the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) and the country’s mine action efforts, UN Resident Coordinator representative Nasar Hayat said.

Speaking at the opening of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Hayat stressed the importance of continued international cooperation in addressing the country’s mine contamination challenge, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

“Under the United Nations-Azerbaijan Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026-2030, we are committed to supporting ANAMA. Much remains to be done, and greater partnership and international solidarity are needed. Mine contamination may be a national problem, but mine action is a global responsibility: experience, technology and lessons developed in one country can benefit many others,” the UN representative stressed.

He noted that Azerbaijan regards mine action as a national socio-economic priority and has made significant progress despite the scale of the challenges. Under the leadership of the United Nations Development Programme, a substantial portion of the contaminated territories has been surveyed and cleared of mines. To date, 25.6% of the territories estimated to have been contaminated have already been released for safe use.

“According to Landmine Monitor 2025, Azerbaijan allocated $146 million to national mine action in 2024 alone. This is the highest recorded national financial contribution worldwide. Since November 2020, $566 million has been allocated from government funds. This is a significant achievement. It demonstrates that Azerbaijan considers mine action a national socio-economic priority,” the UN representative emphasised.

By Jeyhun Aghazada