The Brain Drain: Azerbaijan's Emigration Crisis

Azerbaijan, a country in Eastern Europe and West Asia, has experienced waves of immigration and emigration since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country has been a destination for immigrants, especially ethnic Azerbaijanis from Armenia, Russia, and other former Soviet states. However, it has also faced mass emigration due to economic difficulties and war.

The main reasons for emigration from Azerbaijan include economic crises and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, which resulted in the expulsion of ethnic Azerbaijanis from Armenia and the Armenian-controlled areas. This conflict has been a significant factor influencing population movements in the region.

Azerbaijan's immigration trends have also been shaped by its booming petroleum industry, attracting immigrants from countries like Turkey. Additionally, the country has experienced immigration from Meskhetian Turks, who were relocated from Central Asia, and refugees from neighbouring Middle Eastern states affected by conflicts.

To manage immigration effectively, Azerbaijan adopted the State Migration Program in 2006 and has implemented various legislative acts related to migration issues. The country is also a signatory to international conventions, such as the UN Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers, demonstrating its commitment to protecting the rights of migrants.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994)

The conflict escalated into a full-scale war in the early 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. On February 20, 1988, the enclave's parliament voted to unite with Armenia, citing self-determination laws in the Soviet constitution. This act was met with a series of pogroms against Armenians across Azerbaijan, and violence was committed against both Armenians and Azerbaijanis. As the Soviet Union's dissolution neared, tensions gradually grew into an increasingly violent conflict between ethnic Armenians and ethnic Azerbaijanis.

The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, also known as the Artsakh Liberation War in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, was an armed conflict that took place in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan. As the war progressed, Armenia and Azerbaijan, then both former Soviet Republics, entangled themselves in a protracted, undeclared war as Azerbaijan attempted to curb the secessionist movement in Nagorno-Karabakh. The war was won by Artsakh and Armenia, resulting in the occupation of regions around Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh. There were expulsions of ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijan and ethnic Azerbaijanis from Armenia and the Armenian-controlled areas. A Russian-brokered ceasefire was signed in May 1994, leading to diplomatic mediation.

Border Clashes (2008-2020)

Following the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, border clashes continued to occur between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. The 2008 Mardakert clashes were the heaviest fighting between the two sides since the 1994 ceasefire. In 2016, the most serious clashes until the 2020 war occurred, leaving hundreds of casualties on both sides.

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020)

Large-scale fighting began again in September 2020, with an Azerbaijani offensive along the line of contact. Clashes were particularly intense in the less mountainous districts of southern Nagorno-Karabakh. The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in thousands of casualties and a significant Azerbaijani victory. An armistice was established by a tripartite ceasefire agreement on November 10, resulting in Azerbaijan regaining all of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh as well as capturing one-third of Nagorno-Karabakh itself.

Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh (2022-2023)

In December 2022, Azerbaijan launched an illegal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh under the guise of "environmental protests". The blockade had severe consequences for the population, blocking the importation of food, fuel, and medicine, and trapping the 120,000 residents of the region. Shortages of food, medicine, and electricity were widespread, and massive unemployment and school closures occurred.

2023 Offensive and Dissolution of Artsakh

In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the dissolution and reintegration of Artsakh on January 1, 2024, and the flight of nearly all ethnic Armenians from the region.

Authoritarian rule and human rights abuses

Azerbaijan has a history of human rights abuses and an authoritarian rule that does not tolerate dissent. The country has been described as a dictatorship ruled by a "brutal despot", President Ilham Aliyev.

The government has been accused of rigid control, severely limiting the freedoms of association, expression, and assembly. There are also reports of torture and ill-treatment of journalists, lawyers, and opposition activists. The country ranks 167 out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index, and a report by the U.S. State Department in 2020 accused Azerbaijan of a wide range of human rights abuses, including unlawful killings, heavy restrictions on free expression and the internet, and the worst forms of child labor.

The Azerbaijani government has been hostile towards dissenting voices, targeting critics and political opponents with dubious charges. While some activists have been released, dozens of others remain wrongfully imprisoned. The government has also been accused of intimidating exiled activists by threatening their relatives in Azerbaijan.

The authorities have imposed restrictive laws that impede non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from operating independently. There are also restrictions on media freedoms, with most media outlets practicing self-censorship and avoiding politically sensitive topics. The government has also been accused of using violence to disperse protests and of bribing members of international organizations to legitimize fraudulent elections.

The right to peaceful assembly is also restricted, with authorities using force to break up peaceful protests and detain protesters. The government has interpreted the requirement to notify relevant bodies before assembling as a requirement for prior permission. As a result, no authorized public rallies have been held.

Azerbaijan's human rights record has been widely criticized by international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the U.S. State Department. The European Union has also expressed concern about the limited space for civil society and human rights defenders in the country.

Oil wealth and economic inequality

Azerbaijan's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, with oil and gas accounting for two-thirds of the country's GDP. While the country has experienced rapid economic growth due to its oil production, it now faces the challenge of reducing its dependence on this volatile source of revenue. The country's oil wealth has been accused of causing economic inequality and enriching the ruling elites, with more than half of the formal labor force working for the government.

The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) was established in 1999 to manage the country's oil and gas revenues and ensure intergenerational equality. SOFAZ aims to preserve macroeconomic stability, decrease dependence on hydrocarbons, and finance social and infrastructure projects. However, critics argue that the country's oil wealth has strengthened the regime of President Ilham Aliyev, who has been accused of authoritarianism and worsening the country's human rights record.

Azerbaijan's economy is also characterized by corruption, with the telecommunications sector and the ruling Aliyev family being implicated in several scandals. The country has been criticized for bribing foreign officials and journalists to promote its interests abroad and legitimize its elections at home, a practice known as "caviar diplomacy."

The country's oil and gas sector employs only a small percentage of the population, and the transition from a command to a market economy has been slow. While Azerbaijan has made progress on economic reforms and attracted foreign investment, the conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region remains an obstacle to further economic development.

Overall, Azerbaijan's oil wealth has had a complex impact on the country's economy and society, contributing to both economic growth and inequality. The country faces the challenge of diversifying its economy and reducing its dependence on oil revenues to ensure long-term stability and improve the living standards of its population.

Azerbaijan's international relations

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 185 UN member states, the State of Palestine, and the Holy See. It is a member of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, NATO's Partnership for Peace, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the World Health Organization, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Council of Europe, the Community of Democracies, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.

Azerbaijan has good relations with the EU and is a member of its Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy. It is also a member of the Council of Europe, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Economic Cooperation Organization.

Azerbaijan is one of the few Muslim-majority countries to have established bilateral strategic and economic relations with Israel. It also has strong ties with Turkey, with the two countries' relationship described as "one nation with two states" due to their shared culture and mutual intelligibility of their languages.

Azerbaijan has an embassy in the US and has received explicit diplomatic support from the US in its conflict with Armenia. However, the US has also provided humanitarian aid to the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been criticised by Azerbaijan for legitimising the "illegal regime in the occupied lands".

Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tehran and a consulate general in Tabriz, and Iran has a consulate general in Nakhchivan and an embassy in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Azerbaijan has an embassy in Moscow and a consulate-general in Saint Petersburg, and Russia has an embassy in Baku. Russia has long been Armenia's primary arms supplier, but has also supplied around 55% of Azerbaijan's weaponry in 2007-11 and 31% in 2015-19.

Azerbaijan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, along with Armenia, and both countries are military allies of Russia, which has mediated in the conflict between the two nations.

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is ruled by the New Azerbaijan Party, which has been accused of authoritarianism under president Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev.

The country's demographic makeup

Azerbaijan has experienced significant demographic shifts due to its complex history, particularly the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. This conflict has resulted in mass emigration and immigration waves, with ethnic Azeris leaving Armenia and Armenians fleeing Azerbaijan. The country has also witnessed an influx of refugees and immigrants from former Soviet Republics, the Middle East, and other regions affected by conflicts.

Azerbaijan's population is urbanizing, with over half of its inhabitants living in cities, particularly the capital, Baku. The country has a high literacy rate, and education is valued, with elementary and secondary schooling being compulsory. While the official language is Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian are also spoken, reflecting the country's diverse cultural and historical influences.

Azerbaijan's population is diverse, with various ethnic groups and religious communities coexisting. The country's history, cultural heritage, and geographic location have shaped its demographic landscape, contributing to a rich and dynamic society.

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