State Committee on Work with Diaspora (Azerbaijan)


The State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Azerbaijan in charge of establishing and maintaining contacts with the Azerbaijani diaspora abroad and support the Azerbaijanis around the world in their efforts for national unity. The ministry is headed by Fuad Muradov.

History

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 Azerbaijan Heydar 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 On November 19, 2008 the Presidential Decree No. 54 superseded the committee with the new State Committee on Work with Diaspora.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:
The main responsibilities of the department: