President Aliyev Outlines Azerbaijan’s Security and Sovereignty Strategy

Baku:EU Reporter has published an analytical article by the Center for Analysis of International Relations and Multiculturalism. The article focuses on President Ilham Aliyev's speech at the 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), highlighting Azerbaijan's approach to maintaining territorial integrity and sovereignty, achieved through efforts from 2020 to 2023.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, President Aliyev's address emphasized a strategy of "peace through strength," indicating Azerbaijan's focus on security, ideological resilience, and an independent foreign policy. The President reviewed the historical context from the party's founding in 1993 to recent achievements in territorial integrity, underscoring future priorities like economic stability and the return of refugees to Garabakh.

The speech detailed the three phases of Azerbaijan's restoration of sovereignty: the 44-day war in 2020, three years of strategic military and political buildup, and the 2023 anti-terror operation. Despite external pressures, Azerbaijan achieved its goals, setting a precedent of enforcing international law independently.

Azerbaijan's security strategy involves significant defense spending, reflecting a commitment to deterrence rather than aggression. President Aliyev highlighted financial independence and a multi-vector foreign policy as essential to maintaining sovereignty without external pressure.

Ideological security was a focal point, with the President discussing the importance of guarding Azerbaijan's secular model against external ideological threats. He emphasized education and patriotism as defenses against disinformation and radicalization.

Overall, the article illustrates Azerbaijan's determination to protect its achievements and pursue peace through a robust, self-reliant national strategy.