{"id":59818,"date":"2026-02-18T10:41:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T10:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/?p=59818"},"modified":"2026-02-18T10:41:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T10:41:56","slug":"the-great-return-post-conflict-resettlement-and-state-building-in-azerbaijans-liberated-territories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/the-great-return-post-conflict-resettlement-and-state-building-in-azerbaijans-liberated-territories\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Return: Post-Conflict Resettlement and State-Building in Azerbaijan\u2019s Liberated Territories"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"By Professor Adam Saud<\/strong>
\nBahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"The 44 days patriotic war by Azerbaijan resulted in the liberation of its occupied territories by Armenia. Azerbaijan\u2019s government initiated a post liberation resettlement programme named the \u201cGreat Return\u201d. It encourages the voluntary return of the internally displaced people back to their original homes. The Programme ensured safe and dignified return of the affected people. Besides humanitarian nature, the Programme also embarks on the post-war state-building, economic revitalization, security consolidation, and national reconciliation.<\/p>\n

Historical Context of Displacement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The early 1990s occupation of Azerbaijan\u2019s territories by Armenia resulted into forceful displacement of around 700000 people. Armenia illegally occupied around 20 percent of Azerbaijan\u2019s territory of Karabagh and surrounding districts.<\/p>\n

Although, Azerbaijan\u2019s government provided them best places to live, yet they were forced not to come to their original lands. Over the period of time, their living conditions alongwith housing, employment opportunities, and health and education facilities were improved, displacement remained a central national trauma and a defining feature of Azerbaijan\u2019s domestic and foreign policy.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Azerbaijan wrote a history in the South Caucasus by liberating its territories only after Armenia constantly violated the peace agreements. With the liberation of these territories, long standing conflict and turbulence in the region came to ana end. It has also given birth to the new geopolitical landscape in the South Caucasus region.<\/p>\n

Conceptualizing the \u201cGreat Return\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The initiative taken by the President Ilham Aliyev, its major emphasis is on three interlinked principles; security, sustainability, and dignity. The Great Return is beyond a logistical move, it\u2019s symbolic in nature. It\u2019s a long-term development strategy initiative taken by the government.<\/p>\n

Returns are to be voluntary and phased, guided by careful assessment of landmine clearance, infrastructure readiness, and socio-economic viability. This initiative has been taken after a very careful examination of such other cases across the globe in order to avoid insecurities and social tensions. Azerbaijan\u2019s model seeks to avoid these pitfalls by synchronizing return with reconstruction, employment creation, and service provision.<\/p>\n

\u201cHealing the Scars of Armenia\u2019s Aggression against Azerbaijan: Encountering Landmine Threat\u201d – by Tazeen Akhtar from Islamabad<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n