BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 11
Trend:
Azerbaijan conducts fully independent domestic and foreign policy and effectively neutralizes all attempts of foreign interference into its internal affairs, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said addressing the high-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in video format, Trend reports.
“In order to contribute more to strengthening peace, security, international law, and justice Azerbaijan decided to join the NAM family in 2011,” the Azerbaijani president said.
“In a short time, Azerbaijan gained great confidence and esteem among the Member States of the Movement, and with a unanimous decision of the NAM leaders of 2016, Azerbaijan was elected as the chair of the NAM for the period of 2019-2022,” the head of state noted.
“At the 18th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement, held in Baku in 2019, I stressed that Azerbaijan would build its chairmanship priorities and activities on the basis of the Bandung principles and resolutely defend the justice and norms of international law. Azerbaijan conducts fully independent domestic and foreign policy, and effectively neutralizes all attempts of foreign interference into its internal affairs,” President Ilham Aliyev said.
“As the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Azerbaijan took its role as the chair of the Movement responsibly and undertook serious efforts to ensure the Movement’s adequate and timely response to the challenges caused by the pandemic. Azerbaijan put forward a number of initiatives to consolidate global efforts against the pandemic. We initiated and held the NAM Online Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government in May 2020. As a practical outcome of the Summit, a database encompassing the basic humanitarian and medical needs of NAM Member States was created, and the World Health Organization uses the database as a reference point for identifying the existing needs of NAM Member States in addressing the pandemic,” the head of state added.
“Further to my suggestion at the Summit, which was later supported by more than 150 UN Member States, the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in response to coronavirus at the level of the Heads of State and Government was held in December 2020,” the Azerbaijani president said.
“Azerbaijan also made voluntary financial contributions to the World Health Organization in the amount of $10 million, half of which was direct assistance to the NAM Member States. Furthermore, we provided direct financial and humanitarian assistance to more than 30 countries, including NAM members, to support their fight against the coronavirus. More than 150 000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been donated by Azerbaijan to 4 countries free of charge,” the head of state said.