The revitalization of the region also includes the elimination of the ecological consequences of the occupation.
elchi reports that this was stated in the address of President Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the 6th Azerbaijan International «Karabakh Restoration, Reconstruction and Development» – «Rebuild Garabagh» exhibition.
The head of state stated that 54.3 thousand hectares of forest area were destroyed during the occupation, and land and water resources were polluted: «So far, 600 hectares of forest fund have been restored. Because the restoration of forests and water ecosystems, and the application of construction solutions resistant to the effects of climate change, are of particular importance for the long-term development of the region.»
President Ilham Aliyev noted that the main goal of the next second stage of the State Program for the Great Return is to further expand private investments, permanent employment and export-oriented production based on the created opportunities, and to strengthen the position of Karabakh and East Zangezur as a new growth center in the country’s economy: «The advanced urban planning and engineering solutions applied in the region create experience that can be used not only in other regions of Azerbaijan, but also internationally.»