The Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication), Professor Vusal Gasimli, has given an interview to AZERTAG on the work carried out within the framework of the First State Program on the Great Return to the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Great Return process to Azerbaijan’s liberated territories constitutes one of the key priorities of the country’s socio-economic development strategy. The legal and institutional foundation for the systematic and goal-oriented measures implemented in this direction is provided by the First State Program on the Great Return to the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Program aims to ensure sustainable resettlement in the liberated areas, establish modern infrastructure, revive economic activity, and create decent living conditions for the population. Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the measures envisaged under the State Program are carried out by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication upon the instruction of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

– How will the transport infrastructure being developed in the liberated territories affect Azerbaijan’s transit potential?

– The new transport and logistics infrastructure being developed in the liberated territories is of strategic importance for expanding Azerbaijan’s regional and international transit capabilities. These areas are gradually transforming from peripheral zones on the country’s transport map into regional connectivity hubs. Measures implemented and ongoing under the State Program clearly demonstrate the practical outcomes of this approach. The commissioning of three international airports in the liberated territories has ensured direct integration of the region into both domestic and international transport networks. In addition, more than 3,500 kilometers of highways significantly strengthen the region’s logistics connectivity. The commissioning of the Aghdam Railway and Bus Terminal Complex enhances functional integration between rail and road transport, creating important institutional and logistical opportunities for efficient multimodal transportation. Overall, the construction of this transport and logistics infrastructure positions the region more actively within the East–West and North–South transport corridors, strengthens Azerbaijan’s role as a transit country, and serves long-term economic integration.

– What strategic effects will the energy infrastructure built in the liberated territories have on Azerbaijan’s overall energy security and diversification of the energy balance?

– Taking into account the high renewable energy potential of the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, the development of these areas as green energy zones has been identified as a priority of state policy. At the same time, the energy infrastructure being formed creates a solid foundation for transforming these regions not only into production and supply zones, but also into strategic energy hubs connecting interregional energy flows. This approach serves both to strengthen energy security and to protect ecological balance and achieve sustainable development goals. In this context, consistent steps have been taken to introduce energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. To date, 38 hydropower plants and 4 reservoirs aimed at ensuring sustainable water supply have been commissioned. For uninterrupted electricity supply, 14 substations have been built and more than 1,000 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines laid. To supply the population and economic facilities with natural gas, 6 main gas pipelines have been constructed. This infrastructure ensures the integration of new, reliable, and environmentally sustainable sources into the national energy system, forming long-term strategic advantages.

– On which priority areas is the formation of industrial potential in Karabakh and East Zangezur based, and how will this affect the region’s economic activity?

– The formation of industrial potential in the liberated territories is based on planned industrialization, attraction of the private sector, and creation of local economic value chains. This approach aims not only to accelerate economic revival, but also to ensure sustainable employment and long-term economic activity. In this regard, the industrial parks established in the Aghdam and Jabrayil districts are of particular importance. Currently, 50 enterprises are registered as residents and 7 as non-residents in these industrial parks, demonstrating growing private-sector interest and the formation of institutional foundations for an attractive investment environment.

Within projects with a total value of 454 million manats, investments amounting to 185 million manats have been made so far, resulting in the creation of 1,057 new jobs. At the same time, the production of more than 900 million manats’ worth of goods by resident enterprises shows that this model has generated tangible economic results in a short period.

– What modern approaches are being applied to the development of agriculture in the liberated territories?

– The agricultural model being developed in the liberated territories is based on digitalization, application of smart technologies, and principles of institutional coordination, forming an exemplary approach for regional development policy and rural economic revival. This model abandons unplanned land use in favor of precise accounting and targeted management. In this context, the establishment of the Electronic Cadastral Land Registry Information System is one of the key tools ensuring transparency and effective planning in land relations. The land potential clearly demonstrates the economic basis of this approach: arable land amounts to 610.5 thousand hectares in the Karabakh economic region and 299.6 thousand hectares in the East Zangezur economic region, enabling the gradual inclusion of extensive arable, haymaking, and pasture lands into production cycles. In addition, the commissioning of the “Dost Agropark” smart agriculture complex in Zangilan district, pivot irrigation systems, and modern livestock and horticulture facilities illustrates the practical application of this new model. This approach creates a scalable development model that increases productivity and employment in rural areas while enhancing economic welfare and sustainable income sources.

– The main objective of these measures is to ensure comfortable living conditions for the population in Karabakh and East Zangezur. What principles are being followed in this regard?

– The social infrastructure and services being developed in the liberated territories play a decisive role in shaping the Great Return as a people-centered development model. The main goal is not to limit the return of the population to physical resettlement alone, but to form a sustainable living environment through education, healthcare, and social welfare. In this framework, the construction of education and healthcare infrastructure has been prioritized as a key institutional direction for developing human capital and improving social well-being. Currently, 19 general education institutions and 7 preschool institutions are operating in the liberated territories. Notably, the establishment of Karabakh University—the first higher education institution in the region—creates favorable conditions for building a local academic ecosystem, developing qualified human capital, and actively integrating youth into the region’s socio-economic life. At the same time, to ensure access to quality healthcare services, a total of 18 healthcare facilities have been put into operation, including 1 district central hospital, 6 family health centers, 7 medical posts, 3 modular hospitals, and 1 polyclinic. These projects strengthen the Great Return as a long-term, inclusive development model based on human capital.

– How are the budget funds allocated to the Great Return process managed?

– The management of budget funds allocated for the reconstruction of the liberated territories is carried out based on principles of fiscal sustainability, phased implementation, and results orientation, closely aligned with the state’s long-term development priorities. The consistent formation of financial support under the First State Program on the Great Return clearly demonstrates that this process is not a short-term initiative, but a state policy implemented through long-term strategic planning. During 2020–2024, a total of 17.6 billion manats were allocated from the state budget, primarily directed toward security measures, infrastructure development, settlement construction, and socio-economic projects. For 2025, capital investments amounting to 4.3 billion manats are предусмотрено in the state budget to ensure the next phases of the Great Return. Moreover, allocations totaling 16.7 billion manats are projected for 2026–2030, confirming that the process is aimed at phased and systematic sustainable development rather than short-term projects. Overall, the allocated and projected funds reflect the state’s long-term and targeted approach to restoring the liberated territories and reintegrating them into the national economy.

– What institutional foundations do employment measures under the Great Return create for human capital development and the region’s long-term growth?

– Employment measures within the Great Return are built on complex and phased mechanisms aimed at restoring human capital and ensuring sustainable resettlement. The core of this approach is the parallel development of settlement, employment, and social infrastructure, transforming return into a process of socio-economic integration rather than mere physical relocation. Tangible results have already been achieved: more than 6,000 families and over 20,000 former internally displaced persons have returned to their native lands. Currently, more than 62,000 people live and work in the liberated territories, including those employed in public and private sectors and students. Notably, the employment rate among the economically active population in these areas averages around 90 percent, clearly demonstrating that employment policy has established sustainable institutional foundations for the region’s long-term development.

Overall, the implementation of the First State Program on the Great Return shapes the restoration of the liberated territories not merely as a physical reconstruction process, but as a human-capital-based, economically sustainable, and institutionally systematic development model. The infrastructure, social, economic, and fiscal measures implemented ensure the gradual and continuous reintegration of the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions into the country’s overall development agenda, reaffirming the strategic importance of the Great Return as one of the main pillars of Azerbaijan’s post-conflict long-term development strategy.