Baku: Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Rovshan Rzayev, convened with a delegation from the World Bank to discuss ongoing efforts and collaborations regarding the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The meeting was part of the Action Plan of the First State Program on the Great Return, which aims to ensure the sustainable settlement of former IDPs.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the guests were briefed on the comprehensive measures taken by the State Committee to facilitate the voluntary and dignified return of IDPs to their homelands. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, significant reconstruction and construction initiatives have been undertaken in territories liberated from occupation. These efforts are complemented by the support of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, who has been pivotal in enhancing social protection, living conditions, and employment opportunities for IDPs.
The collaboration with the World Bank plays a crucial role in this initiative, focusing on improving employment prospects for IDPs preparing to return. Approximately 800 IDPs from 18 cities and districts have participated in training sessions designed to boost economic activity, especially among women and individuals with disabilities. The project includes training in over 60 professions, ranging from confectionery to graphic design, with 257 participants receiving professional equipment.
The State Committee’s Chairman underscored the project’s success in equipping former IDPs with specific professional skills for their future resettlement, expressing gratitude to the World Bank for its support. World Bank representatives, including Eric Caldwell Johnson, Sabina Anne Espinoza, and Khalisa Shahverdiyeva, acknowledged the project’s achievements. Johnson highlighted the project’s high-level implementation and its unexpected positive outcomes, emphasizing its role in building self-confidence among participants.
In 2023, the State Committee and the World Bank signed a Letter of Agreement for the ‘Improving the Living Conditions of Internally Displaced Persons in Azerbaijan’ grant project. The initiative aims to enhance skills, access to support services, and income-generating opportunities for internally displaced families resettling in liberated territories from 2023 to 2026 as part of the “I State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.”