Azerbaijan Ambassador Rasim Rzayev told Arab News on Tuesday that the Azerbaijani diaspora, including those residing in Saudi Arabia, are not only contributing to the economic growth of their country but are also taking part in political and cultural developments.

Speaking on the occasion of his country’s Day of Solidarity that falls on Dec. 31, Rzayev said it is encouraging to see a growing sense of solidarity among the compatriots with their homeland, even though they are living far away from home.

The ambassador paid tribute to their leader, Heydar Aliyev, who laid the foundation of the state 23 years ago and played a key role in unifying the ranks of his people and developing a love for their Motherland.

Ambassador Rzayev observed that the government of Azerbaijan always keeps its diaspora in focus in any nation-building or economic activity. The Third Congress of World Azerbaijanis held in Baku in 2011 laid the foundation for a new phase of organizational development of its compatriots residing abroad. The goal was to strengthen their ties with the motherland.

The congress reviewed the activities of the diaspora institutions and took major decisions to lend an impetus to the mobilization of their countrymen for the cause of national development.

He said that Azerbaijanis, who have lived in their homeland for thousands of years, went into exile due to the wars, revolutions and military conflicts. Others went abroad in search of jobs or education and eventually settled down in those countries.

“But our history shows that we are from the great land of Azerbaijan, no matter where we currently live. Azerbaijanis, after all, live in almost every country around the world,” said the ambassador.

He referred to the large presence of Azerbaijani communities in Russia, in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Caucasus, Georgia, Dagestan, Iran, Turkey, Europe, America, and oriental countries in this context.

Even so, national sentiments run deep in forging bonds among them.

This year Azerbaijan celebrated the 23rd anniversary of its independence on a grand scale. The progress that Azerbaijan has achieved during this period demonstrates to the world its industriousness, high intellectual capacity and the aspirations of its citizens to forge ahead. “The crisis that gripped the country in the early years of independence, the hardships that the people faced, is now history. Thanks to their perseverance, the level of poverty and unemployment has been reduced to a minimum", he added.

He said that the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects has turned Azerbaijan into a dynamic economy, leading to the development of its reputation as a reliable business partner. “The fact that Azerbaijan, which won the 2011 election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2012-2013, was due to the support of 155 nations. This provides strong evidence of the respect and trust of the international community in our country”, the ambassador observed.

He said the Azerbaijani state derives its strength from the creative potential of its people, who inspire confidence in the task of achieving national goals. “But we are still facing an unresolved problem — restoration of our territorial integrity impaired as a result of Armenian military aggression and the return of our refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes. No doubt, Azerbaijan will soon overcome this difficult problem too, ad will put an end to the occupation and the injustices perpetrated before the eyes of the world,” he concluded.