Rashad Sahil oglu Ismayilov has been appointed the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to this effect. Prior to this appointment, Ismayilov served as the First Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources.
The position had remained vacant since February 5 of last year, when former minister Mukhtar Babayev was relieved of his duties to be appointed as the President's representative for climate issues. Ismayilov, born on August 27, 1979, holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in law from Baku State University.
His professional career began in 2000, spanning various legal and administrative roles within the Chamber of Auditors, the State Registry of Real Estate, and the "Icherisheher" State Historical-Architectural Reserve Department under the Cabinet of Ministers. Between 2016 and 2024, he held senior positions at the State Housing Construction Agency and served as the Head of Staff at the State Committee for City Planning and Architecture. He was appointed First Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources by presidential decree on August 15, 2024.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan is responsible for implementing state policy on the protection of the environment, utilization of natural resources, and the regulation of geological exploration. In recent years, the ministry has focused heavily on the ecological restoration of the liberated territories in Garabagh and East Zangazur, as well as preparing for major international environmental summits hosted in Baku.
