The voices of former internally displaced persons (IDPs), local residents, women, youth, and vulnerable groups must be integrated into the reconstruction process from its very inception. Successful recovery is not merely measured by the number of houses built, but by whether people truly feel they have returned to their homes.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that these remarks were made by Emin Huseynov, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts. He was speaking at an event titled "Housing at the Center of Post-Crisis Recovery and Reconstruction" held within the framework of the 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12).
Huseynov emphasized that this process requires robust partnerships. Governments, international organizations, financial institutions, urban planning experts, and local communities must work together through integrated, human-centered approaches rather than in isolation. In a world increasingly affected by conflicts, climate shocks, and displacement, the provision of housing should no longer be viewed as a secondary humanitarian issue.
The restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated territories, including the districts of Aghdam and Fuzuli, remains a top national priority following the 44-day Patriotic War. The Azerbaijani government is currently implementing the "Great Return" program, a large-scale initiative aimed at the sustainable resettlement of former IDPs. This program focuses not only on physical infrastructure but also on the economic reintegration and social well-being of the returning population in the Garabagh region.
