Azerbaijan's 20-year leap: British author compares progress to UAE's 50-year journey

While the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took 50 years to reach its current level of development, Azerbaijan has achieved comparable progress in just 15–20 years, British researcher and author Graeme Wilson said, Report informs.

He made the remark during a panel session held as part of the 5th Azerbaijan International Exhibition on the Restoration, Reconstruction, and Development of Karabakh.

Wilson emphasized the strong momentum of development in Azerbaijan today:

"In Dubai, which I consider my second home, there are two great leaders-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Vice President, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. Over 50 years, they have gathered a generation of intelligent, energetic, and capable individuals around them. It is this generation that has brought the UAE to its current level since the 1970s. I think we can all agree that the UAE is in a very good place today.

Azerbaijan already has tremendous dynamism. Even a country like the UAE needed 50 years to reach this level, but Azerbaijan has done it in 15–20. The people we've spoken to are intelligent, energetic, patriotic, and highly professional. This is evident in the transformations we see in Karabakh and across Azerbaijan. In a short time, you've completely changed the way you communicate your stories. I believe the key driver behind this is the spirit of the Azerbaijani people."

He also noted the scale of ongoing work in Karabakh:

"Journalists have a vital role in shedding light on these processes. The landscape of communication, media, journalism, and storytelling is entirely different now. The stories and articles shared by Azerbaijani journalists and media outlets are highly valuable. The Karabakh story is vast, but you are creating a model. This model shows that with strong national leadership and the will of the people, other crisis regions around the world can also be transformed. We're beginning to see these elements elsewhere too. What you've accomplished in Karabakh is a powerful example."