"I am confident that extensive discussions are being held within the framework of this forum regarding the urban planning and reconstruction activities carried out in the liberated territories. This process will alleviate a significant portion of the existing pressure, as after more than 30 years, many people are finally returning to their homelands," stated Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov during the event titled “Transforming Informal Settlements and Slums for Housing the World.”
According to the Minister, issues ranging from the provision of healthcare and education to the informal economy will be discussed in detail during the session.
"In recent years, we have also taken a series of steps toward simplifying occupancy permit procedures for multi-apartment residential buildings. Furthermore, we have applied certain amnesties for private houses and similar informal settlements that meet basic urban planning standards. However, our experience has shown that the issue of legalization must be approached with great caution. While a simple amnesty for illegal structures may resolve some social concerns within a certain timeframe, it could further stimulate unauthorized construction in the future," he added.
Mikayil Jabbarov pointed out that this creates long-term risks related to the emergence of unsafe buildings, unplanned land use, and pressure on agricultural and forest lands, water resources, as well as critical infrastructure zones.
