MP: Ilham Aliyev's YAP speech defined Azerbaijan's strategic goals

President Ilham Aliyev's speech at the 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) defined the state's current strategic goals, MP Bahruz Maharramov told Report while commenting on the president's address.

He said the full restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty had created a fundamental qualitative change in the country's statehood history and shaped a new strategic architecture for the post-conflict period.

"The state's current strategic goals are now shifting from territorial defense toward active regional leadership, institutional strengthening of sovereignty and expansion of geoeconomic influence. At this new stage, the main objective is to build a multi-vector model of national security, integrate the territories liberated from occupation into the country's overall socioeconomic system, and continue a balanced and independent foreign policy toward global centers of power.

"From a political and legal perspective, this means adapting the legal system to new realities and ensuring the full and unconditional exercise of the state's sovereign powers throughout its entire territory," he said.

"In the military sphere, modernization of the army, a full transition to the most modern model, the creation of Commando brigades and strengthening the defense industry through domestic resources are the main deterrents against possible attempts at revanchism.

"Ideological resilience, meanwhile, is being formed around the concepts of the 'Victory ideology.' Within the legal framework, ensuring information security and improving legislative mechanisms against external disinformation and hybrid threats constitute an ideological pillar of national security. The work that must be carried out in this area includes, in particular, educating the younger generation in the spirit of statehood ideals, increasing legal awareness and protecting national and cultural heritage," he said.

According to Maharramov, Azerbaijan's independent foreign policy course is directly linked to the country's economic and financial independence.

"Keeping external debt at a low level and increasing foreign exchange reserves allow the state to remain free from external political pressure. Becoming a strategic partner in Europe's energy security through the Southern Gas Corridor and green energy projects, while also being located at the intersection of the East-West and North-South transport corridors, significantly increases Azerbaijan's global geoeconomic weight.

"This economic potential is complemented by a flexible social policy, ensuring social stability within the country and creating the image of a reliable and predictable partner internationally," he said.

The MP added that the large-scale infrastructure projects being implemented in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur under the Great Return program should, from a legal perspective, be regarded as one of the most effective and results-oriented examples of restoring citizens" violated property and settlement rights.

"The introduction of modern transport and energy infrastructure and 'smart city' and 'smart village' concepts in the region, along with the creation of new jobs through special economic regimes and tax incentives, directly contributes to improving the population"s social welfare.

"This geoeconomic rehabilitation process not only improves the living conditions of former internally displaced persons, but also strengthens a sustainable development model by increasing the non-oil sector's share in the country's overall GDP," Maharramov said.