BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 25. This year marks the 4th anniversary of the chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told TurkicWorld.

Azerbaijan's chairmanship in the NAM over the past four years, the second-largest political institution after the UN, has been quite successful, and most member countries consider it exemplary.

"Success achieved during Azerbaijan's chairmanship were appreciated by all member countries, and the proposed chairmanship of Azerbaijan in the NAM for a period of three years was unanimously extended for another one year," said the ministry.

"Azerbaijan, during the chairmanship, has demonstrated a policy aimed at restoring the former authority of the NAM in the system of international relations and aimed at promoting the "Bandung principles", without contradicting any international actors.

The ministry noted that despite the fact that most of the chairmanship coincided with the period of intensive spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the globally important initiatives put forward by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, the existing challenges have become new opportunities for cooperation.

"Azerbaijan has put forward and adopted important resolutions in the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council in order to put an end to the "policy of vaccine nationalism" and unfair, indifferent attitude towards developing countries," said the ministry.

"Azerbaijan has also taken important steps to establish NAM, creating a Parliamentary Network and a Youth Organization of the Non-Aligned Movement in accordance with the initiatives of the head of state," said the ministry.

The ministry said that appropriate measures are currently being taken to create women's and media platforms for NAM.

"The first meeting of the think tanks of the Non-Aligned Movement member countries was also held, and the first step was taken towards their networking during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship," said the ministry.

In addition, the ministry noted that the Azerbaijani chairmanship has also made a valuable contribution to field cooperation within the NAM. Meetings of ministers responsible for the sphere of labor, health, education, information and communications of the NAM member countries have been held.

"A meeting of the Joint Coordinating Committee between the NAM and the Group of 77 (G77) was held in September this year within the framework of the UN General Assembly High-level Week under the co-chairmanship of Azerbaijan and Cuba for the first time in nine years to expand cooperation in the field of sustainable economic development between NAM member countries, most of which are developing countries," the statement said.

"The Non-Aligned Movement, which is one of the strongest supporters of establishing justice in the system of international relations, and during the chairmanship of Azerbaijan did not remain indifferent to the injustice directed against its member countries, including Azerbaijan, condemning the aggression directed, in particular, against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan during the second Karabakh war, and it prevented provocative steps put forward within the framework of the UN," said the ministry.

"At the 19th Summit of the NAM, which will be held from January 15 through January 20, 2024, in Kampala (Uganda), the chairmanship of the NAM will pass from Azerbaijan to Uganda, and Azerbaijan will be in the top three chairmen of the NAM for the next three years. Having become one of the three chairmen of the NAM, Azerbaijan will spare no effort to strengthen the international authority and positions of this institution," the ministry said.