Azerbaijan Vows to Intensify Efforts to Determine Fate of Missing Persons

Washington, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijan will continue to mobilise all available resources to determine the fate of persons who remain missing in connection with the former conflict, Shahriyar Hajiyev, First Secretary of Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, has said.

Delivering a statement during an interactive dialogue at the Third Committee of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Hajiyev highlighted the humanitarian consequences of the unresolved cases of missing persons and called for stronger international cooperation to address the issue.

He said more than 4,000 persons remained registered as missing in connection with the former conflict, including 288 women, 71 children and 319 elderly persons.

According to the diplomat, search efforts had intensified following the liberation of the occupied territories. So far, the remains of 913 individuals had been discovered, of whom 328 had been identified through DNA testing and forensic examinations. Of those identified, 273 had been handed over to their families for burial in accordance with their traditions and rites.

Hajiyev further stated that 32 mass graves containing the remains of 253 individuals had been discovered since the end of the conflict. He said these graves provided further evidence of the killing of civilians and other persons protected under international humanitarian law.

The Azerbaijani diplomat stressed that providing information about burial sites, particularly mass graves, opening archives and collecting witness statements were essential steps towards ensuring that the families of missing persons could learn the fate of their loved ones.

Sharing all relevant information about missing persons, he added, was not only a legal obligation and humanitarian responsibility but also a practical demonstration of commitment to peace that could help strengthen mutual trust.

Highlighting Azerbaijan’s international initiatives, Hajiyev said the country regularly proposed resolutions on missing persons at the UN General Assembly.

He also referred to the annual international conference, the “Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons,” which seeks to address the humanitarian issue through enhanced international cooperation.

The fourth edition of the conference was held from October 7 to 10, 2026, under the theme “Strengthening Trust and Developing Effective Mechanisms for Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons.”

Hajiyev called on the United Nations and other relevant international organisations to play a more active role, within their respective mandates, in conducting searches, facilitating information exchange, developing forensic expertise and providing greater support to affected families.

He emphasised that sustained international engagement and cooperation were essential to resolving outstanding cases and helping families obtain answers about the fate of their missing relatives.