Statement at the First Committee of the eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly during the thematic discussions on Conventional Weapons

Delivered by Mr. Magsad Huseynov, First Secretary

24 October 2025

Mr. Chair,

Azerbaijan adheres to its commitments concerning conventional weapons and has consistently maintained a principled position supporting the rigorous enforcement of these obligations.

While a new chapter of peace and stability is now opening in our region, it is important that all States comply in good faith with their obligations under the generally recognised principles and rules of international law with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, in particular those relating to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and non-interference in their internal affairs.

There is a need for redoubled efforts aimed at reducing the humanitarian impact of conventional weapons to safeguard lives, notably, by addressing the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war.

Moreover, it is pertinent to recall that States using landmines are under the obligation to record their placement and, at the end of active hostilities, to remove or otherwise render them harmless to civilians or facilitate their removal.

Mr. Chair, the past conflict turned Azerbaijan into one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries in the world, with an estimated presence of 1.5 million landmines and an unknown number of explosive remnants of war.

The human toll caused by landmine contamination in Azerbaijan is considerable. Over the past thirty years, more than 3,400 people have fallen victim to landmines and explosive remnants of war. In the post-conflict period, since November 2020, 410 Azerbaijani citizens—including children and women—have been killed or seriously injured, and regrettably, the number continues to increase.

Landmine contamination significantly hampers development efforts, causes environmental degradation, obstructs post-conflict recovery, and impedes the safe return of the forcibly displaced population to their homes. To date, approximately only 20% of the contaminated areas out of over 13% of Azerbaijan’s territory have been cleared, and only 5,4% of the estimated 1.5 million landmines have been identified.

Mr. Chair, the landmine threat in Azerbaijan necessitates enhanced accountability, solidarity, partnership, and international assistance to fortify humanitarian demining initiatives. As emphasised in the Secretary-General's recent report on mine action, a coordinated and sufficiently funded mine action is crucial to reversing this dangerous trend (A/80/272).

Thank you.