Since the restoration of independence of Azerbaijan in 1991, supporting Azerbaijanis in other countries in defending national interests of Azerbaijan has become a priority for Azerbaijani government. In order to foster better ties with ethnic Azerbaijanis around the world, preserve their national identity, establish a network of Azerbaijani organizations around the world to ensure national solidarity, the President of AzerbaijanHeydar Aliyev signed a decree on holding a World Azerbaijanis Congress on May 23, 2001. Therefore, the 1st World Azerbaijanis Congress was held on November 9–10 of the same year. Four hundred representatives from over 200 diaspora organizations from 36 countries participated in the congress. Over 700 representatives and 844 guests from 130 state and public organizations of Azerbaijan, members of 25 political parties took part in the conference. On July 5, 2002, President Heydar Aliyev signed a decree on creation of State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad. On November 19, 2008 the Presidential Decree No. 54 superseded the committee with the new State Committee on Work with Diaspora.
Structure
The committee is headed by its Chairman and Deputy Chairman. The committee cooperates with other central and local executive and municipal bodies, diplomatic representations of the Azerbaijan Republic in other countries, NGOs working with Azerbaijanis living abroad. The committee provides organizational, informative, material and cultural assistance to Azerbaijanis living abroad and to the diaspora organizations established by them. Main functions of the committee are helping Azerbaijanis living abroad to preserve and develop their national identity, study and increase application of their native language; providing favorable conditions for Azerbaijanis living abroad to create and develop close ties with the state bodies of and NGOs in Azerbaijan; engaging ethnic Azerbaijanis in economic, social and cultural development of Azerbaijan Republic; help preserve national ideas and national-cultural values ensuring worldwide solidarity of Azerbaijanis around the world; involving Azerbaijanis living abroad in the process of economic development carried out in Azerbaijan creating favorable conditions for them to invest and attract investment in Azerbaijan; providing assistance to Azerbaijanis living abroad to hold events of importance to Azerbaijani nation such as Khojaly Massacre, Black January and Day of Azerbaijani Genocide.
First department
The main responsibilities of the department:
Taking purposeful and necessary measures to achieve the solidarity of the Azerbaijanis living in Western Europe;
To take necessary measures related to create opportunity for Azerbaijanis living in Western Europe getting of real information about the domestic and foreign policy of Azerbaijan, socio-economic and cultural life of the country;
to establish and develop the close relations between Azerbaijanis living in Western Europe with the State body of Azerbaijan, as well as non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan;
organization of work to assist on the implementation of the establishment of national-cultural public associations of Azerbaijanis in accordance with international law, the normative-legal acts adopted by Western European countries and Azerbaijan;
To organize an effective mechanism of work with the relevant structures of the states where the Azerbaijanis live, for defense and protection of civil rights of Azerbaijanis living in European countries based on international documents;
To organize the participation of relevant state and non-governmental organizations, art masters, public figures, science and culture representatives in the events held by the Azerbaijani diaspora in the Western European countries;
Second department
The main responsibilities of the department:
To establish and develop close relationships between the state bodies of Azerbaijan, as well as non-governmental organizations and the Azerbaijanis living in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, India and China, to help getting information about economic, social and cultural life, domestic and foreign policy of Azerbaijan;
To involve the Azerbaijanis living in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, India and China to the economic, social and cultural development of Azerbaijan, the political life of society and the state;
To support the communication of the Azerbaijanis living in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, India and China with each other and their organizational activities;
To help to create a connection between the public, cultural and other associations established there and the republic;
To participate in public events held by the Azerbaijanis living in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, India and China, and to provide the participation of relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan;
