Azerbaijan.US
President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of December 31 – World Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis – and the New Year, describing 2025 as a successful and stable year for the country.
In his address, Aliyev said Azerbaijan continued to live in conditions of peace, security, and stability, stressing that unity between the people and the state remains the main source of national success.
The president noted that Azerbaijan marked the fifth anniversary of victory in the 2020 Patriotic War in 2025, calling it a historic achievement that will remain a lasting source of pride. He said the country had restored its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national dignity, while significantly strengthening its armed forces over the past five years.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is not preparing for a new war but must remain ready to defend its sovereignty amid global instability, citing growing militarization worldwide and the weakening of international legal norms.
Turning to post-war diplomacy, the president said the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has been fully removed from the international agenda and that the OSCE Minsk Group has become irrelevant. He stated that Azerbaijan extended a hand of peace to Armenia and that a peace agreement has since been initialed, allowing the country to live in de facto peace.
Aliyev also highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing international standing, including its accession to the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation and its election as a full member of the Consultative Council of Central Asian States. He described these developments as recognition of Azerbaijan’s rising regional and global role.
On the economic front, the president said Azerbaijan’s foreign currency reserves have exceeded $80 billion, while external public debt has fallen to 6.3% of GDP. He added that international rating agencies have upgraded Azerbaijan’s credit outlook.
Aliyev also pointed to progress under the “Great Return” program, noting that nearly 70,000 people are now living, working, and studying in formerly occupied territories, with displaced families resettled in 32 towns and villages.
Concluding his address, the president congratulated Azerbaijanis worldwide, saying they should always know that an independent Azerbaijani state stands behind them. He wished peace, prosperity, and happiness to all citizens in the New Year.
