Azerbaijan rebuilds liberated territories with state funded infrastructure

The Azerbaijani government is reconstructing approximately 11,000 square kilometres of territory in Karabakh and East Zangezur following its 2020 military victory.

This area is roughly the size of Lebanon. The state is funding the project primarily through its own resources rather than relying on international donor conferences or foreign financial assistance. The National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) reported that demining operations cleared more than 69,000 hectares of land in 2025.

During that year, specialists found 6,824 landmines and 52,392 items of unexploded ordnance. These efforts aim to make the land safe for agriculture and housing. The government allocated more than 25 billion manats for the restoration of these territories between 2020 and 2026. Infrastructure projects include the construction of three international airports in Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Lachin. The Lachin International Airport opened in May 2025.

The government is also building highways, bridges, and tunnels to turn the region into a transport hub for the South Caucasus. New settlements like Aghali in the Zangilan district incorporate smart city technologies and green energy. The Great Return programme aims to resettle displaced citizens into their ancestral homes. By October 2026, nearly 100,000 people were living, studying, or working in the liberated territories.

While many families have returned to towns like Fuzuli and Aghdam, the state continues to work on creating sustainable economies to support these new communities.