Exploring Azerbaijan's Commitment To Refugees

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, mostly due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to the displacement of around 700,000 Azerbaijanis, including those from the occupied surrounding regions. As of 2021, Azerbaijan hosts 1,694 refugees, 58 asylum seekers, 3,585 stateless people, and 654,839 internally displaced persons.

Azerbaijan's refugees are from a variety of ethnicities and nationalities, including Chechens, Afghans, Pakistanis, Armenians, Iranians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and citizens of the Russian Federation

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, mostly due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to the displacement of approximately 700,000 Azerbaijanis, including around 500,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding regions, as well as 186,000 from Armenia. This conflict has resulted in Azerbaijan having one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) per capita in the world, with IDPs residing in all 76 of Azerbaijan's administrative districts.

In addition to those internally displaced, Azerbaijan has also welcomed refugees from a variety of ethnicities and nationalities, including Chechens, Afghans, Pakistanis, Armenians, Iranians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and citizens of the Russian Federation. According to UNHCR data, in 2023, Azerbaijan received 189 asylum applications, with the majority of refugees originating from Afghanistan, followed by Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria.

Azerbaijan's refugee population has been the focus of international aid efforts, with the United Nations Human Rights Council contributing significantly to the $1 billion in funding for social defence and recovery initiatives. This funding has been crucial in granting citizenship to refugees, providing them with necessary utilities, and improving their standard of living through employment assistance.

While the exact numbers of refugees from each ethnicity and nationality are not readily available, it is clear that Azerbaijan has played a significant role in providing refuge to those fleeing conflict and persecution, while also addressing the challenges faced by its internally displaced population.

The refugees are the result of a variety of international disputes, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, with a 2018 estimate putting the figure at around 1.2 million. The majority of these are the result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has led to waves of refugees and internally displaced persons since the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in the late 1980s. This initial conflict led to the displacement of approximately 700,000 Azerbaijanis, including around 500,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions, as well as 186,000 from Armenia. The conflict also resulted in around 360,000 Armenian refugees fleeing Azerbaijan.

The First Nagorno-Karabakh War was sparked by civil unrest in the region in 1987, which saw Azeris harassed and forced to leave Armenia. In 1988, the region's legislature, which was 95% ethnically Armenian, declared its intention to join Armenia, despite its official location within Azerbaijan. This led to armed fighting between the two republics, which have a long history of ethnic tension. With the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991, Armenia and Azerbaijan achieved statehood, and Nagorno-Karabakh officially declared independence. This triggered a full-scale war, resulting in around 30,000 casualties and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. By 1993, Armenia had gained control of Nagorno-Karabakh and occupied 20% of Azerbaijan's geographic area.

A Russian-brokered ceasefire, known as the Bishkek Protocol, was signed in 1994, leaving Nagorno-Karabakh de facto independent but still reliant on Armenia. Since then, there have been intermittent clashes, violations, and periods of intense fighting, despite negotiated ceasefires. In 2016, a four-day war saw Azerbaijani troops push Armenian forces back, resulting in about 20 sq km of territory returning to Azerbaijani control. This was the deadliest confrontation since the 1994 ceasefire, killing hundreds on each side.

In September 2020, heavy fighting broke out again along the Azerbaijan-Nagorno-Karabakh border, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries. Despite initial rejection of negotiations, a Russian-brokered deal in November 2020 ended the six-week Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Azerbaijan reclaimed most of the territory it had previously lost, and a transit route, the Lachin corridor, was established to connect Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, monitored by Russian peacekeepers.

However, tensions and violations have continued, with periodic clashes escalating into a two-day conflict in September 2022, and a further offensive by Azerbaijan in 2023, resulting in more displacement and refugees. The ongoing conflict has resulted in a large number of internally displaced persons and refugees in Azerbaijan, with the majority linked to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

The number of refugees and internally displaced people has been decreasing but remains high, with 618,220 internally displaced people in 2012

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, mostly due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to the displacement of around 700,000 Azerbaijanis, with 500,000 people fleeing from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions, and a further 186,000 from Armenia. The conflict has left Azerbaijan with one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) per capita in the world.

In 2001, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registered about 7,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Azerbaijan. Additionally, about 272,000 people were living in refugee-like circumstances, including 220,000 ethnic Azeris from Armenia and 52,000 Meskhetian Turks. By 2021, the number of internally displaced persons in the country had increased to 654,839, while the number of refugees had decreased to 1,694.

The Government of Azerbaijan, with assistance from the international community, has been working on a Framework Plan for the Return of IDPs to their occupied regions after the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, known as The Great Return Programme. The government has also been constructing new settlements and providing housing with necessary utilities, as well as access to schools, hospitals, and other services.

Azerbaijan's cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Council has benefited refugees, with the UNHCR contributing to funding for social defence and recovery

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, mostly due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to the displacement of around 700,000 Azerbaijanis, with many seeking refuge in Azerbaijan from Armenia. This includes around 500,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding regions, as well as 186,000 from Armenia. The conflict resulted in civil unrest and ethnic violence, with Azeri refugees facing harassment and violence, causing them to flee for their lives.

Azerbaijan's cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly the UNHCR, has been instrumental in addressing the challenges faced by these refugees. The UNHCR has been active in Azerbaijan since 1992, providing crucial support to the government in protecting and finding durable solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced and stateless persons.

One of the key contributions of the UNHCR is their assistance in refugee integration and self-reliance. They have launched programs to facilitate the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of displaced individuals to their places of origin. Additionally, the UNHCR works closely with the authorities and civil society to ensure that asylum seekers have adequate protection and improved local integration prospects.

The UNHCR also plays a vital role in delivering humanitarian aid to conflict-affected populations. They engage closely with the displaced communities, raising awareness and providing individual legal assistance. Furthermore, the UNHCR actively participates in designing and implementing durable solutions, with a special focus on internally displaced persons and refugee returns in the post-conflict context. Their presence and support have significantly contributed to the social defence and recovery of refugees in Azerbaijan.

The government of Azerbaijan has granted refugee status and citizenship rights to certain groups, including ethnic Azeris from Armenia and Meskhetian Turks

Azerbaijan has a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, largely due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to the displacement of around 700,000 Azerbaijanis, with 500,000 people fleeing from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions, and a further 186,000 from Armenia.

The government of Azerbaijan has granted refugee status and citizenship rights to certain groups, notably the ethnic Azeris from Armenia and the Meskhetian Turks. In 1988-1991, during the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, around 220,000 ethnic Azeris fled Armenia and took refuge in Azerbaijan. According to the 1998 Citizenship Law, these refugees are eligible for Azerbaijani citizenship. By the end of 2001, the UNHCR estimated that most of them had naturalized or were in the process of doing so.

The Meskhetian Turks have a long history of displacement. In 1944, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin deported them en masse from Georgia to Central Asia, particularly the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan. In 1989, they faced further displacement due to interethnic violence in Uzbekistan. This group of refugees, numbering about 50,000 people, also sought refuge in Azerbaijan. Similar to the ethnic Azeris, the Meskhetian Turks are eligible for citizenship under the 1998 Citizenship Law, and by 2001, most were believed to have naturalized.

While the exact numbers may vary, it is clear that the Azerbaijani government has provided refugee status and citizenship rights to both these groups, allowing them to integrate into Azerbaijani society and escape the cycle of displacement they had previously endured.

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