A conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences was held on November 3.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.
First, the head of state met with members of the Academy’s Presidium and foreign guests participating in the conference.
President Ilham Aliyev then delivered a speech at the event.
Speech by President Ilham Aliyev
– Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Dear guests,
Dear scientists,
I sincerely congratulate you on the 80th anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences and wish the Academy every success in its future activities. I am confident that the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and Azerbaijani scientists will continue to contribute to the successful development of our country.
The Academy has come a long way over 80 years and has played a leading role in the development of science in Azerbaijan. Although we lived under different public and political structures over these years, Azerbaijan has always paid great attention to the development of its science. It is no secret that National Leader Heydar Aliyev never spared effort to support Azerbaijani scientists. Back in the 1970s, the activities of the Academy were improved under his leadership: several new research institutions were set up, and major funds were allocated for the development of science. As a matter of fact, this policy continued during the years of independence. It was on the initiative of the National Leader that hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani youth were sent to the leading universities of the Soviet Union starting from the 1970s, thus significantly strengthening the intellectual potential of our country. We are pursuing the same policy in the years of independence as well. Today, tens of thousands of Azerbaijani youth are receiving education in leading universities of the world. The vast majority of them study and return to their homeland, thus making a valuable contribution to the development of our country.
The first years of independence were very difficult and tragic. At that time, it was Heydar Aliyev’s determination, resolve, and devotion to the nation that saved us from even greater misfortunes. It is quite indicative that his first meeting with the Azerbaijani intelligentsia and the Azerbaijani public after his return to power took place at the National Academy of Sciences in 1993. Thus, he once again openly declared the priorities of independent Azerbaijan — a renewed Azerbaijan. It is also true that our financial capabilities were very limited, almost non-existent at the time. The treasury was empty. Azerbaijan was facing a major humanitarian disaster: more than a million refugees and internally displaced persons, the occupation of our lands, and profound economic and financial difficulties. Despite this, funds were still allocated for the Academy to operate, for the protection of the Academy, and for the activities of scientists.
Of course, over the years, as Azerbaijan developed, the amount of these allocations increased. Over the past ten years, the funds allocated to Azerbaijani science have more than doubled. During my presidency, attention has been paid to the development of Azerbaijani science in this direction, in accordance with the policy of the National Leader. Many steps have been taken. The material and technical infrastructure of the Academy has been bolstered; the buildings on this academy campus have been renovated. Organizations that were not involved with science and had occupied some of the Academy’s buildings have been removed. A new large library has been built. A new building has been constructed for the National Encyclopedia. As I mentioned, scientific research institutions have been renovated and provided with equipment. The Science Fund was established back in 2009. At that time, the main objective behind establishing the Fund was to provide financial support to Azerbaijani scientists and give impetus to the development of science through grants. The National Strategy for the Development of Science has been adopted. The Law “On Science” was adopted. The State Program has been adopted. In other words, it would take a lot of time just to list all the work done. I simply have to say that, as in all other areas, Heydar Aliyev’s policy in this direction continues, lives on, and is enriched with new content.
Ten years ago, on the 70th anniversary of the Academy, I addressed scientists in this very auditorium and sought to provide support for the development of science, along with all the other priority directions of the country’s development for the next ten years. I would like to share some of my thoughts with you today, because the past ten years have seen dramatic changes both in the world and in Azerbaijan. The global economy has been transformed, political processes in the world have shifted, wars and military clashes have occurred, violations of international law and a breakdown of existing rules are quite obvious. As for Azerbaijan, the past ten years have been full of development and victories for us. Our top priorities — the liberation of our lands, the restoration of our territorial integrity, the restoration of our sovereignty — have been fully secured. Today, Azerbaijan is the sovereign owner of all its lands. There are no occupying forces on our territory. There are no foreign military units on our territory. Today, we are the ones building and creating on these lands. In just a few days, we will mark the fifth anniversary of our glorious Victory. Over the past five years, numerous wars, clashes, and conflicts have taken place around the world, and everything is measured by comparison. Scientists will know this well. I can say that there has not been a second country that has won a victory as brilliant, complete, and absolute as we did.
Azerbaijan lives in a completely new situation and, of course, we must both keep pace with the processes unfolding in the volatile world and put forward many initiatives of our own. Therefore, the tasks ahead of us also change over the years. The priorities regarding today’s development and future directions of our development are, of course, different from previous periods. It is no secret that the development and, at the same time, the security of each country today are determined by the technological capabilities of that country. Today, we see this in economic development, in the application of new technologies, and in the conduct of modern wars. Therefore, technological development should be our top priority. Of course, a great responsibility rests on Azerbaijani scientists here. Naturally, a great responsibility also rests on the Azerbaijani state to ensure that we apply this technological development to all areas of life so that our development is sustainable.
Everyone sees and knows that the development of each country is determined not by natural resources alone, but by the intellectual potential of its society, by technological development, and by the advancement of science. In other words, natural resources are simply a means for us — an opportunity to channel the funds we receive from the export of natural resources into human capital and technological development, so that our development is sustainable in the future. Everyone knows perfectly well that natural resources are exhaustible; they will run out sooner or later. Intellectual potential is an inexhaustible resource, but only if it is invested in. The state should invest in it. The country’s scientific community and scientists should make their efforts in this direction. Therefore, one of the top priorities today is technological development.
Artificial intelligence: ten years ago, no one was talking about that. Today, it is already an integral part of the future development of countries. We should not lag behind here. Therefore, the state is taking the necessary steps. We always follow the main line, that is, the mainstream. We should not lag behind. Therefore, both the development of artificial intelligence in Azerbaijan and its application to life, the economy, and technological development are a reality. And of course, we expect Azerbaijani scientists to take an active part in that.
The successes achieved as a result of other reforms carried out in this direction are related to digitalization. We are implementing large-scale digitalization in our country and are seeing its benefits. Perhaps the broader public does not follow this closely, but we see that in areas where digitalization has taken place, the quality of work is already improving, efficiency is increasing, and better results are being achieved. That is why it is no coincidence that some time ago, in our government structure, the ministry was named the “Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.” Further steps are being taken in this direction. I encourage Azerbaijani scientists to be active here too.
Another important area is cybersecurity. Cyberattacks have become widespread in the world. Azerbaijan has also come under these attacks this year, and the establishment of the Cybersecurity Center was a well-timed step. We are working with international partners and companies with extensive experience in this field on very large programs so that we can protect and defend ourselves to the maximum extent. Because cybersecurity is not virtual security; it is the physical security of each country. Today, the rules of warfare are changing, the sources of threats are evolving, and the world itself is changing. Therefore, if proper attention is not paid to this area, no other defense options can protect us from major problems. Thus, both the state and the scientific community of Azerbaijan should work on cybersecurity together. Of course, at the same time, countries, parties, or organizations that are behind cyberattacks on us should not go unpunished. We must both defend ourselves and give a worthy response to those who seek to harm us.
As you know, the defense industry in Azerbaijan is developing fast. For many years now, major funds have been allocated to this area, and the activities of companies operating in this sector are improving. In addition, we have recently opened this area to the private sector. After all, the military products of the most successful nations are increasingly produced by private companies. This is why we have involved the private sector by issuing licenses. I have also called on them, and private companies have already embarked on the production of military products today. I can say that this process is still at an early stage, but many Azerbaijani companies will be manufacturing world-class military products in the near future. The government is also working in this direction. We are already expanding our military capabilities to a large extent through local production. We are already exporting military products to a number of countries. The task has been set to create a major industrial cluster in this sector in order to meet both domestic demand and export. This is a very promising area, and considering that wars are flaring up all over the world today and are not stopping, demand for military products will remain strong in the future. This is why we are working very actively in this direction. Let me repeat that we are inviting our public and private companies, as well as Azerbaijani scientists, to work in this field.
Our glorious Patriotic War: as you may know, every stage and every day of it has been studied, is being studied, and is being researched by many international military schools, including the application of unmanned aerial vehicles. We were among the first to deploy them in combat. Today, it is impossible to imagine modern warfare without UAVs. In other words, we laid the foundation for that, and a lot is being done in Azerbaijan in this direction. We purchase such products from foreign markets and, at the same time, have begun to produce unmanned aerial vehicles of many types ourselves. We will continue to do so. Of course, a very large field of activity is being created for the scientific community of Azerbaijan here.
I would like to state in general terms that science should be closely connected with the economy and industry. From this podium, I would also like to instruct state institutions to work more closely with Azerbaijani scientists.
Because our science must yield practical results these days. Not only in terms of research, but also in real life and, taking into account the rapid development of the economy, of course, there should be a high level of coordination and alignment here. I am sure that after these words, our state institutions will work more closely with Azerbaijani scientists.
Our economic indicators are very positive. True, GDP growth is modest. The main reason for that is the decline in oil production for objective reasons. However, the leading driving force of our economy today is the non-oil sector. It accounts for the greater part of our overall economy. Today, the world’s leading rating agencies – two leading international rating agencies – have upgraded our credit rating, raising it to an investment-grade level. This, of course, is a manifestation of the economic reforms underway in our country. Because our economy today is healthy. We do not depend on anyone. Economic independence, of course, strengthens our political independence. Our foreign debt is at a very low level. It is no secret that foreign debt in many developed countries accounts for one hundred percent of their gross domestic product, perhaps even more. In our case, it is only a little more than 6 percent. Our foreign exchange reserves are growing year after year. This year, they have also increased significantly, exceeding 80 billion dollars. Our foreign exchange reserves are 16 times greater than our foreign debt. If we wished, we could fully repay our external debt within just a few months. In other words, Azerbaijan today is among global leaders according to this indicator. Of course, economic and financial stability allows us the opportunity to implement major investment projects. The main direction of investment projects today is Garabagh and East Zangazur. Unprecedented work is underway in these liberated lands. The Azerbaijani public is regularly updated about this, and many of our citizens have already visited the liberated lands. Many have been there a number of times and can see the ongoing development with their own eyes. In other words, our strong economy gives us both confidence and enables the rapid restoration of liberated lands. It also enables us to create a strong military potential. I want to say again that global rules have completely changed. International organizations, i.e. quite a few of them, are in a state of paralysis. Their decisions are not implemented. Just as the four resolutions of the UN Security Council remained unimplemented for 30 years. If we had not liberated our lands by military means, they would have remained unenforced for another hundred years. The authority of international organizations has declined significantly. Today, power is the leading factor in the world. So this is what today’s world is like, and under such circumstances, security, defense potential and military capability are the key issues. Of course, none of this can be achieved without a strong economy and sufficient financial resources.
Today, renewable energy is a key new area. In this field as well, Azerbaijan is among the frontrunners. Renewable energy projects implemented in Azerbaijan today are very large-scale. In Garabagh and East Zangazur alone, more than 30 hydroelectric power stations have been built over the past five years. Their combined generation capacity exceeds 300 megawatts. Construction of solar and wind power stations is underway. Recently, the foundation of two 100-megawatt stations was laid in Jabrayil district. A third solar power station with a capacity of 240 megawatts is under construction next to those stations. In total, by 2030, the combined generation capacity of solar, wind, and hydroelectric plants is expected to reach 6,000 megawatts. This represents a major industrial sector — a new stage in the development of our industry. I encourage Azerbaijani scientists to be active here as well.
Geological exploration is of tremendous importance, especially in Garabagh and East Zangazur. This area was not properly studied in the Soviet era, but even if it had been studied, it was still impossible to do it fully with the technologies of that time. At present, satellite research and sounding are carried out using modern technologies. In many cases, the unconventional discovery of natural resources, including oil fields, is possible without physically accessing the area. Therefore, on my instructions, major geological work has underway in Garabagh and East Zangazur for several months now. I urge Azerbaijani scientists to contribute to this work. I am also instructing state bodies to do this. I believe that some very good news will emerge in the next few months. We have very rich natural resources – gold, silver, copper, and polymetals. Their discovery, exploration and development will bring great benefits and lead to the creation of a large number of jobs in Garabagh and East Zangazur regions.
Of course, when we talk about Garabagh and East Zangazur, we should also speak about the history of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, our rich history has long been distorted by Armenia and the Armenian diaspora. The campaign of propaganda against us does not stop even today. Therefore, we must counter this with our own truth. I spoke about this ten years ago, at the 70th anniversary of the Academy. I want to talk about this today too. We must study and promote our history. Azerbaijani citizens, Azerbaijani youth should know our rich history. They should know that the history of the Azerbaijani people, the history of our statehood and the ability of our people to build and create have a centuries-old history. The Azerbaijani people have lived and continue to live across a vast geography. Suffice it to say that the Azerbaijanis live everywhere beyond our borders. They also lived in Armenia, but were driven out of there. But I am sure that they will live there again. Because we can see across our borders with all neighboring countries that the Azerbaijanis live in their ancient historical lands and are worthy citizens of their countries. Azerbaijanis have never been afflicted with the disease of separatism. Our people have contributed to the statehood of the countries they live in. And today, Azerbaijanis do not create and will never create problems for any state or its people. Therefore, the return of Azerbaijanis to the present-day Armenia should not intimidate the people or state of Armenia. I said this some time ago as well. We must return to our historical lands — not with tanks, but in cars.. To do this, of course, the main responsibility rests on the state. I am aware that public organizations and also Azerbaijani scientists have published a number of research papers in this direction. Their number should be increased – research works, exhibitions, presentations and historical maps should be published. It is enough to look at early-20th-century maps published by Tsarist Russia to see that the overwhelming majority of toponyms in what is now Armenia are of Azerbaijani origin. There was no lake Sevan on those maps. There is Lake Goycha on those maps, along with all other Azerbaijani historical toponyms we use. We did not compile those maps for anyone to say that we are committing fraud. This was done by Tsarist Russia, the very Tsarist Russia that once brought Armenians from Iran and Eastern Anatolia and settled them in Garabagh lands in order to alter the ethnic and religious composition here. In other words, these maps are based on pure historical truth. Therefore, we must promote and study this. More research works, even small booklets should be prepared so that both Azerbaijani youth and the world community can know their history well and, at the same time, for our return to present-day Armenia to sound completely logical and fair. Therefore, of course, additional steps need to be taken regarding the history of Azerbaijan. In general, there is a great need for reputable research works on the history of the independent Azerbaijani state. We have been living as an independent state for more than 30 years, and Azerbaijan has never been as strong in the centuries-old history of the Azerbaijani statehood as it is today. Therefore, there is a need for many more works studying and promoting the history of independent Azerbaijan.
Ten years ago, I also spoke about the Azerbaijani language from this podium, expressing my concern. I can say that the necessary steps have been taken in this direction over the past 10 years. However, I would not be very sincere if I say that I am entirely satisfied with the situation, of course. The Azerbaijani language is a very rich language. The Azerbaijani language today is the mother tongue for more than 50 million people. However, we, the independent Azerbaijani state, are the guardians of the pure and literary Azerbaijani language. I regularly examine the situation in various regions where Azerbaijanis live, keep it in the spotlight and take the necessary measures. I see that our literary language in some places is getting lost among Azerbaijanis living in other countries. It is used more as a household language and is full of foreign words. But if we do not protect our language, if we do not keep our language clean and pure, then we can eventually lose it. For every nation, the mother tongue is the core of national identity, and all public figures and society as a whole must act in unity to protect it. Our language is ancient and rich — the mother tongue of over 50 million people — and needs no foreign borrowings. True, there is an international lexicon, and we all use it. But if there is an old word in the Azerbaijani language, why replace it with a word from another language? This is either a mistake or a provocation. Both are unacceptable.
The preservation of the purity of the Azerbaijani language should be the duty of every Azerbaijani citizen. In other words, the government, scientists, linguists, writers, poets, journalists and those involved in politics should pay great attention to this. Let me repeat that I raised this issue 10 years ago because I was worried. In the past ten years, necessary measures have been taken to protect our language from foreign words. But I can still hear that here and there – on television, in the written media, and in some speeches. There is no need for that. In other words, if we, as a people, as a nation, do not protect our language, our national identity may slowly be undermined. I am sure that my words will reach out to everyone. I will constantly deal with this issue myself, monitor it, and take necessary measures. I also call on Azerbaijani scientists to share their views and lend support for this issue.
As I mentioned, in a few days we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of our historic Victory. A military parade will be held. Victory Parade was also held five years ago, in December 2020. In 2023, a military parade was held in Khankendi, after Azerbaijan’s sovereignty had been fully restored. The upcoming military parade in Azadlig Square is a significant and proud occasion for all of us. The Azerbaijani people will forever take pride in this Glorious Victory.
I congratulate you and all the Azerbaijani people on the 80th anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences, as well as on the upcoming Victory Day and Flag Day. I wish you good health and continued success. Thank you.
President.az