The Government of Azerbaijan and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanging (MoU).

The memorandum was signed by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov and IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy.

The document aims to encourage the expansion of practical cooperation between Azerbaijan and IFRC in the fields of mutual interest.

Deputy PM Ali Ahmadov hailed the deep-rooted relations between Azerbaijan and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister provided an insight into the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani lands was occupied, and more than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs as a result of the dispute.

Ali Ahmadov hailed the IFRC’s contributions to addressing the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan and occupation of the lands, and to the development of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society. He noted that the Government of Azerbaijan highly appreciates the organization’s active support for the country.

The Deputy PM described the improvement of socio-economic and living conditions of internally displaced persons as one of the key priorities of Azerbaijan in the humanitarian area. He highlighted what has been done by the Azerbaijani government to ensure assistance and protection of refugees and internally displaced persons, who are considered to be the most vulnerable section of the population.

Ali Ahmadov pointed out that four years have passed since IDPs Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev were illegally detained by Armenians in the occupied Khalbajar district of Azerbaijan while visiting the graves of their relatives. He emphasized the importance of carrying out active work towards releasing innocent people from imprisonment.

Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Elhadj As Sy expressed his confidence that the strengthening of cooperation between the Government of Azerbaijan and IFRC will open up good opportunities. Elhadj As Sy noted that IFRC hails the conditions that the Azerbaijani government created for its fellow countrymen who were expelled from their native lands.