Baku: More than 140 countries have benefited from Azerbaijan's international assistance over the past 15 years, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated at a conference titled "Promoting Global Solidarity through Cooperation for Humanitarian Support and Development," dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan International Development Agency.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the minister highlighted that Azerbaijan's rapid economic progress since the 2000s, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, has laid the groundwork for a comprehensive international assistance policy. This transformation has shifted Azerbaijan from an aid recipient to a donor nation. Over the past 15 years, Azerbaijan's aid has reached more than 140 countries, including all 54 African nations, 111 of the 121 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement, 52 of the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, 43 of the 44 least developed countries, and 28 of the 39 small island developing states.

The minister noted that approximately $400 million has been allocated through bilateral and multilateral assistance mechanisms since 2020. Azerbaijan's efforts have spanned multiple areas, with significant contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, where assistance was extended to 88 countries. Efforts in Africa included combating the Ebola epidemic and an initiative aimed at preventable blindness, which resulted in over 900,000 eye examinations and more than 150,000 cataract surgeries. Additionally, the initiative included efforts to enhance the professional skills of local medical specialists.