Azerbaijan's authority in the international arena and its role in solving global issues are growing.

The issues on the regional agenda today are greatly related to Azerbaijan’s activity and most of the initiatives which have been put forward are being implemented through the country’s participation.

Azerbaijani MP Ramin Mammadov has commented on this issue.

“Today Azerbaijan determines the agenda related to the processes in the South Caucasus,” Mammadov told TurkicWorld.

“This is clear amid the new realities that have appeared after the 44-day second Karabakh war,” MP added. “Azerbaijan is making very important initiatives both in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and in solving other global problems. The main goal of the country's initiatives is to contribute to ensuring peace and security worldwide.”

The MP stressed that Azerbaijan, chairing the Non-Aligned Movement, in a short period of time put forward important proposals that play a big role in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Azerbaijan has made a voluntary contribution to the WHO in the amount of $10 million,” Mammadov added. “Moreover, humanitarian and financial assistance has been rendered to more than 30 countries.”

The MP said that the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in 2020, the convening of a special session of the UN General Assembly, the adoption of the resolution on ensuring equitable, affordable, timely and universal access for all countries to vaccines against COVID-19 by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 are also the contribution made to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mammadov stressed that the resolution put forward at the initiative of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev a few months ago in connection with vaccines against COVID-19 was adopted by the UN member-states.

“Some 126 countries signed this document and this shows the importance of Azerbaijan's initiatives for the world, the international prestige of our country,” the MP said. “Azerbaijan takes an active part in organizing important discussions related to the security, which is of great importance on a global scale.”

“Our country is able to direct the processes in the South Caucasus region, determine the content of political and economic relations,” Mammadov said. “Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy that serves the well-being, security and development of the countries and peoples of the region.”

Senior research fellow at the Azerbaijani Center for Analysis of International Relations Vasif Huseynov also expressed his opinion on this topic.

“The end of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Karabakh conflict and the liberation of Azerbaijani lands from Armenia’s occupation opens up new opportunities for Azerbaijan's foreign policy,” Huseynov told TurkicWorld.

The senior research fellow stressed that the current situation allows Azerbaijan not only to gain new achievements in foreign policy but also to actively participate in international politics.

“From this point of view, it is necessary to stress that our country is at the forefront of the fight against such global problems and challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic,” Huseynov said. “As President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with local TV channels on January 12, Azerbaijan will continue this policy in the future.”

The senior research fellow stressed that active participation in international organizations will remain one of the main priorities in the country's foreign policy.

“Currently, Azerbaijan, chairing in the Non-Aligned Movement, in which 120 countries participate, plays a leading role not only within the Non-Aligned Movement but also on other international platforms,” Huseynov added.

“Holding a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan, putting forward initiatives to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and in particular, starting discussions within the UN General Assembly, must be considered the success of the Azerbaijani diplomacy,” the senior research fellow said.

Huseynov stressed that a resolution was adopted at the UN General Assembly in connection with ensuring equitable, affordable, timely and universal access for all countries to vaccines against COVID-19 in November 2021 at the initiative of Azerbaijan chairing the Non-Aligned Movement.

“Earlier, in his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 24, 2021, the President of Azerbaijan reiterated the dismay on the persistent “vaccine nationalism” and deepening inequality in access to vaccines against COVID-19 between developing and developed countries,” the senior research fellow said.

The senior research fellow added that Azerbaijan rendered the voluntary financial assistance worth $10 million to the World Health Organization, rendered financial and humanitarian assistance to more than 30 countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as supported in provision with vaccines against COVID-19 in 2020.

“As a result of this successful activity, Azerbaijan in a short period of time managed to win the trust and respect of the member-states of the Non-Aligned Movement, thanks to which the chairmanship of our country was extended for another year,” Huseynov said. “Today, Azerbaijan is making the efforts to further strengthen the Non-Aligned Movement.”

“In an interview on January 12, 2022, President Ilham Aliyev stressed that “the first is the forthcoming Baku meeting of the heads of parliaments that are members of the Non-Aligned Movement. We want to create a parliamentary component,” a senior research fellow said.

Huseynov said that Azerbaijan also plays an active role in other international structures, including the Organization of Turkic States, the OSCE, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization and others.

“The summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Istanbul in 2021, which is of particular importance for the Azerbaijani foreign policy, has become the success of the Azerbaijani diplomacy,” the senior research fellow said.

Huseynov said that Azerbaijan’s role in the rapid development of this structure, created on the basis of the Nakhchivan agreement of 2009, in encouraging multilateral cooperation of member-states in various spheres, is undeniable.

“I think that the activity in these spheres in 2022 will remain a priority in our country's foreign policy and Azerbaijan will continue to contribute to solving problems of regional and global significance,” the senior research fellow said.