Speech of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev at the ceremony of the signature of the UN Declaration on Children`s Life, Protection and Development at UNICEF - September 27, 1994


I am very satisfied that UNICEF has started its activity in Azerbaijan; we highly appreciate it. Because the solution of children`s problem, activity in this sphere are very kind measures. Attention to children`s life is attention to future of the world. Such an activity is especially important for Azerbaijan. Because Azerbaijan is in state of war, 20 per cent of its territories are occupied by the Armenian armed forces, and over one million people are refugees, while most of them are children. Now they live in tents, in hard conditions.

In Azerbaijan families have many children. Every family has an average 4-5 children. Just count how many children are among one million refugees.

There is a great need for the expansion of the activity of UNICEF in Azerbaijan.

I respect your activity worldwide and thank you for your activity in Azerbaijan. I hope that after signature of this declaration your activity in Azerbaijan will be expanded and become stronger.

Brief essays

Azerbaijan - International organizations

General historical background

Azerbaijani - UNICEF relations

Historical backgrounds

Azerbaijan - UN