Hikmat Hajiyev: NGOs also involved in mine clearance process

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also engaged in clearing mine-contaminated lands, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, said during the NGO Forum held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

Hajiyev stressed that the government cannot implement a sustainable agenda without the input and position of civil society: "In the liberated territories, 10,000 km² of land is contaminated with mines. By clearing these areas, we are writing history."

The official added that the Azerbaijani government attaches special importance to the interaction, development, and capacity-building of NGOs and civil society institutions. For this purpose, a state agency supporting civil society institutions has been established.

"The government also allocates grants to ensure their access to financial resources and organizes various institutional and capacity-building trainings. Civil society institutions in the country are an integral part of government development programs, and we involve their knowledge and expertise in implementing Azerbaijan's Sustainable Development Goals," he said.