Group of CoE ambassadors visiting liberated Aghdam region in Karabakh

By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

A delegation comprised of a group of ambassadors of the Council of Europe member nations visited Azerbaijan’s liberated Aghdam region, Special Representative of the Azerbaijani President in the liberated part of Karabakh Economic Region (except Shusha region) Emin Huseynov said on Twitter.

Huseynov noted that guests got acquainted with the historical monuments of Aghdam, which suffered from Armenian vandalism, and also were informed about the restoration work and plans for the future.

Armenia destroyed and vandalized Azerbaijani territories during the three-decade occupation between the early 1990s and late 2020. The scale of destruction and massacres on Azerbaijan's formerly occupied territories is shocking, implying deep hatred and animosity toward the Azerbaijani people, with many experts describing the mass destructions and killings as genocide.

The country's war-torn Aghdam region alone is seen as a stark example of Armenian hatred and enmity. Aghdam, known as the "Hiroshima of the Caucasus" astounds delegations from all over the world with its infamous scenes of destruction.

Currently, the work is underway to restore Azerbaijan's liberated lands. Azerbaijan will rebuild its recently liberated areas in four stages. The initial stage includes the solution of the issues of governance and security, and infrastructure, while the subsequent stages include the solution of the issues of social services activities, reconstruction, and development of the economy.

In 2021, Azerbaijan allocated $1.5 billion for the reconstruction of liberated territories, followed by AZN 2.2 billion ($1.2 billion) in 2022. These funds will be used primarily to restore infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, and so on) as well as cultural and historical monuments.