Azerbaijan, World Health Organization mull issues of cooperation

On June 3, 2021, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov received the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Azerbaijan Hande Harmanci, Report informs, citing the Foreign Ministry's press service.

The sides exchanged views on mutually beneficial cooperation between the WHO and Azerbaijan and cooperation in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that our country attaches great importance to cooperation with the WHO, stressing that last year was a year of serious challenges for our collaboration. The work done by Azerbaijan in the fight against COVID-19 within the country and the assistance provided by our country at the international level, and the initiatives put forward were noted. At the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan, high-level meetings of international organizations, including the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, the Non-Aligned Movement on combating the pandemic were held, and a special session of the UN General Assembly was convened. It was stressed that our country also supports the equal and fair distribution of vaccines in the world, and in this regard, our voice has been raised at the international level.

Hande Harmanci spoke about the projects implemented by the World Health Organization in Azerbaijan, including the operation of regional training centers in 12 regions of Azerbaijan, mobile training services implemented in five conflict-affected districts of Azerbaijan with the support of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, work with people in need of assistive technologies, provided information on the strengthening of ambulance systems and work done in other areas. He said that the WHO Regional Director would visit the region shortly.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted the importance of the visits in terms of expanding cooperation, adding that Azerbaijan attaches importance to the visit of the regional director to our region. The Minister also briefed his interlocutor on the restoration and construction activities carried out in the liberated territories of the country and plans and noted the possibility of participation of the World Health Organization and other UN agencies in the restoration projects.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on potential areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the WHO.