Today, October 15, marks a significant and proud day in our nation's history. On this day in 2003, the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan elected Ilham Aliyev as the President of Azerbaijan, unanimously recognizing him as the political heir and worthy successor of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev.
This decision initiated a new phase of rapid and comprehensive development for our country, paving the way for its confident progress toward victory. Over the years, Azerbaijan has achieved consistent historical successes across all sectors, transforming into a leading state in the region of South Caucasus and gaining international recognition. Most importantly, the sacred aspiration of our people was realized – Azerbaijan, with its continually strengthened army, secured its territorial integrity.
On September 27, 2020, in response to Armenia's latest military aggression against our country, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, under the leadership of President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, achieved a magnificent historical victory in just 44 days. This operation resulted in the liberation of our internationally recognized territories that had been under Armenian occupation for nearly 30 years.
As the leader of our nation has noted, ‘From now on, for centuries to come, the Azerbaijani people will carry this Victory in their hearts and souls. Such a brilliant and absolute Victory has not been witnessed in the long history of Azerbaijan.’ Three years after our historic victory in the 44-day war, on September 20, 2023, successful military operations culminated in a 23-hour local anti-terror operation that dismantled the separatist regime in our city of Khankendi. On October 15, 2023, President and Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani State Flag in Khankendi, Khojavend, Khojaly, Aghdara, and the village of Asgaran, marking the triumph of the restoration of our sovereignty across all our territories.
After raising the State Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Khankendi, President Ilham Aliyev stated: ‘Exactly 20 years ago, the Azerbaijani people placed great trust in me by electing me as President. At that time, I promised my beloved people that I would defend the national interests of the Azerbaijani people and state, and safeguard Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. I took an oath on the Constitution and the Quran. I am pleased to say that in the last 20 years, I have delivered all my promises and accomplished all the tasks I set for myself.’
President Ilham Aliyev has also ensured the sustainable social development of our country. During his inauguration speech at the National Assembly (Milli Məclis) on February 14 of this year, he highlighted the visible progress in the social sector: ‘In 2003, our minimum wage – perhaps many may not remember – was 9 manat. Now it stands at 345 manat. Of course, this is not sufficient, but there is a positive dynamic that will continue. The minimum pension was 20 manat in 2003; today, it has reached 280 manat. The average monthly pension exceeds 500 manat, and the average monthly salary is 940 manat. I reiterate this is not enough to satisfy us. However, there is progress, development, and most importantly, promising prospects ahead.’
It is noteworthy that in the last five years, under the directives of our President, four social reform packages have been implemented, benefiting over 4 million citizens. An additional annual allocation of 7 billion manat has been designated for these reforms. As a result, the minimum pension has increased by 2.5 times, the average monthly pension by 2.4 times, and benefits and pension payments by 5 times, the minimum wage by 2.7 times, and the average monthly salary by nearly 2 times. Additionally, the wage fund has grown by 2.8 times, and 10 new types of social payments have been established. The number of labor contracts has seen an increase of over 500,000, representing more than a 40% rise.
On May 9, 2019, President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva inaugurated the DOST Agency and the first DOST Center under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The DOST concept, initiated by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, represents a significant achievement in social services sector, enabling the 160 social services delivery to the public through a ‘single window’, ensuring transparency and efficiency under the principle of satisfaction and convenience of citizens.
This initiative positions Azerbaijan among the leading global practices in social service delivery. Furthermore, a key accomplishment in recent years has been the extensive digitalization of state social services, with over 90% of the Ministry’s 160 services, and 145 services transitioned to electronic formats. The establishment of over 50 proactive services, the E-Social portal, and the ‘Labor and Employment’ subsystems further underscore the commitment to modernizing and enhancing social welfare mechanisms in the country.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, significant measures are being taken to strengthen the social protection of families of martyrs and persons with disabilities. Over the past five years, social payments for these groups have increased by an average of 2.5 to 3 times. The housing provision program for these categories has expanded fivefold in the post-war period, resulting in 6,200 housing units being allocated to these citizens, with a total of over 15,000 units provided overall. Furthermore, 528 vehicles have been distributed to persons with disabilities, contributing to over 7,700 vehicles allocated in this context. Initiatives in these areas will continue to advance, demonstrating the government's ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable populations.
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