United Nations (UN), international organization was established on October 24, 1945, after World War II with the aim of preventing future world wars.

The name “United Nations” was coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. On 1 January 1942, twenty-six States at war with the Axis Powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), subscribed to the common programme of purposes and principles embodied in the Atlantic Charter in a document, which became known as the “Declaration by United Nations”. Twenty-one other States adhered to that Declaration later. The Declaration by United Nations contained the first official use of the term “United Nations”.

The main goal of the signatories of the declaration was the defeat of “Hitlerism”, which meant that the parties agreed on the identity of totalitarian militaristic regimes in Germany, Italy and Japan. Since 1948, 24 October, this day is celebrated as UN Day. It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. On the recommendation of the General Assembly in 1971, this date is celebrated as a holiday in all UN member states.

The purposes of the United Nations include the maintenance of international peace and security, development of friendly relations among nations, international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and the promotion and encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The UN is a universal forum with unique legitimacy, a pillar of the international collective security system and a key element of modern multilateral diplomacy. It is the world’s largest international organization. The UN is headquartered in New York City (in the United States, but with certain extraterritorial privileges), and the organization has other offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and The Hague, where the International Court of Justice is headquartered.  
     
The United Nations can act on a wide variety of issues due to its unique international character and the powers vested in its Charter, which is considered an international treaty. As such, the UN Charter is an instrument of international law, and UN Member States are bound by it. The UN Charter codifies the major principles of international relations, from sovereign equality of States to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations. The Charter of the United Nations (UN) is the foundational treaty of the United Nations, an intergovernmental organization. It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the UN system, including its six principal organs: the Secretariat, the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Trusteeship Council.

The UN Charter mandates the UN and its member states to maintain international peace and security, uphold international law, achieve “higher standards of living” for their citizens, address “economic, social, health, and related problems”, and promote “universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion”. As a charter and constituent treaty, its rules and obligations are binding on all members and supersede those of other treaties.

The UN System includes a multitude of specialized agencies, funds, and programmers, including the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, UNESCO, and UNICEF. Additionally, non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and other agencies. The UN’s chief administrative officer is the secretary-general, currently Portuguese politician, and diplomat António Guterres, who began his first five year-term on 1 January 2017 and was re-elected on 8 June 2021. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states.

Azerbaijan, as one of the active members of the UN. On 29 October 1991, after regaining independence (on 18 October 1991), the Republic of Azerbaijan applied to the General Assembly of the United Nations with a request to become a member of this organization. Azerbaijan was admitted to the UN membership on 2 March 1992 at the 46th plenary session of the UN General Assembly. On this day, the national flag of Azerbaijan was raised in front of the UN headquarters in New York. On 6 May 1992, the Azerbaijani delegation started its work in the UN. In 1993, a UN office was opened in Azerbaijan. UN membership has opened opportunities for Azerbaijan to join the international community as an equal member, to ensure its security and prosperity using the mechanisms provided for in the UN Charter, as well as to contribute to international peace and development.

In 1993, the Security Council of the UN (Security Council) adopted resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884 on the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict. Each resolution was adopted because of the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Armed Forces. These resolutions reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s territorial inviolability and demanded an immediate declaration of the cease-fire, an end to military operations, and withdrawal of occupying forces from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In September 1994, President Heydar Aliyev attended the 49th session of the UN General Assembly and brought to the attention of the world community the truth about our country, especially about Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh problem from the Tribune of this universal international organization. In October 1995, the president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who took part in the solemn session of the UN General Assembly on the occasion, of the 50th anniversary of this supreme body, appealed to the world countries from the high rostrum of this organization and explained the principled position of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the current global problems and called for enhancement of international efforts to eliminate the Armenian aggression. Speaking at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, President Heydar Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s position on the settlement of the Armenia- Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

On 24 October 2011, a significant and historic event took place in the life of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was elected a member of the UN Security Council in its elections. 155 countries supported Azerbaijan’s candidacy and elected our country as a member of this prestigious organization in a vote held in tense conditions and consisting of several rounds. President Ilham Aliyev said in his statement on this significant event: “This victory is the victory of the Azerbaijani people. This victory is the victory of the Azerbaijani state, the triumph of our policy”.

Azerbaijan’s non-permanent membership at the UN Security Council in 2012-2013 has increased the country’s role in the political processes in the field of international peace and security. Azerbaijan has become the first country in the South Caucasus and Central Asia region to be elected as a member of the UN Security Council. Being accepted as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and holding a meeting of the Security Council in May 2012 under the chairmanship of the Head of State Ilham Aliyev is one of the great achievements in the history of Azerbaijan’s diplomacy. It means that our country has become one of the main factors not only in regional but also in world politics.

As a result of the Second Karabakh War, which started in September 2020 and lasted 44 days, thanks to the heroism of our brave army under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, our country ensured the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the Security Council in 1993. Using Article 51 of the UN Charter, including the right to self-defence, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity. This was the most glorious and brightest page of our new history.

Azerbaijan maintains cooperation with a wide range of specialized UN agencies and bodies in a very active and effective manner – UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO, UN Women, UNCTAD, IAEA etc. Particularly, UNDP has provided extensive support to the process of post-conflict rehabilitation by funding and developing the capacity of the Azerbaijan Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (ARRA) and the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA). UNDP support to ARRA has facilitated the effective coordination of work in the sector by the World Bank, UNDP, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Union (EU) Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) programme and others.

Being an active participant in the global fight against terrorism, the Republic of Azerbaijan cooperates with UN Counter-Terrorism Office and provides relevant reports on the work done in this sphere in the country.

As stated by the President Ilham Aliyev our country, which has set as its priority goal the protection of justice, norms, and principles of international law in the UN Security Council, continued its successful activity as a non-permanent member of the organization for two years and contributed to the protection of international peace and security during its presidency in the Council. Azerbaijan played an active role in the discussion of all issues on the agenda and always expressed its resolute position.

Taking part in various UN programmes and specialized agencies, our country also develops its bilateral and multilateral relations through this authoritative international organization. Being an influential force in the modern world politics, Azerbaijan’s international positions are strengthening day by day. Thus, our country, strengthening its bilateral and multilateral relations on the background of its pragmatic and rational foreign policy course, and is successfully represented in regional and international organizations.

Azerbaijan is successfully implementing in its foreign policy the highest principles of international law, peaceful coexistence of different cultures, religious tolerance, protection of fundamental human rights, protection of the rights to education and creativity, as well as sustainable development in the economic and social spheres. This allows Azerbaijan to develop bottom-up cooperation with UN specialized agencies in all priority areas covered by them.  Thus, our state will achieve even higher achievements and success in the future.

Today Azerbaijan is a full member of the UN family. Due to its policy of establishing peace and security in the world, Azerbaijan has taken its worthy place.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan BMT ailəsində / Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Katibliyi, AzərTAc. - Bakı : Nurol, 2000. - 342 s.
2. Məlikova, Nərminə Akif qızı. BMT strukturlarında Azərbaycan diplomatiyasının xüsusiyyətləri /N.Məlikova; Elmi red. R. Mustafayev; AMEA İnsan Hüquqları İnstitutu. - Bakı: Elm, 2007. - 148 s.
3. Dadaşova, Ramilə Bəhlul qızı. Beynəlxalq münasibətlərin müasir problemləri və BMT: [monoqrafiya] /R. B. Dadaşova ; elmi red. H. C. Əlibəyli ; AMEA. - Bakı: Təknur, 2012. - 183 s.
4. Dadaşova, Ramilə Bəhlul qızı. Azərbaycan Respublikasının BMT Təhlükəsizlik Şurasının daimi üzvləri ilə əməkdaşlığı : monoqrafiya / R. B. Dadaşova ; elmi red. M. C. Qasımlı ; AMEA Qafqazşünaslıq İnstitutu. - Bakı : ADMİU, 2021. - 344 s.
5. Birləşmiş Millətlər Təşkilatı-Azərbaycan: tərəfdaşlığın 25 ili /[ön söz Q. İsakzai, E. Məmmədyarov ; baş məsləhətçi F. Abaszadə ; diz. və tərtibat Mozaik Printing and Design]. - Bakı: [BMT-nin Azərbaycandakı Nümayəndəliyi], 2017. - 167 s.
6. Мустафаева, Наджиба Ильгар кызы. Реформа ООН: мир, безопасность и права человека /Н. И. Мустафаева. - Москва: Ид международные отношения, 2017. - 185 с.
7. Dadashova, Ramila. The problem of resolution of the regional conflicts: reforms in the UN /R. Dadaşova ; nəşrə haz. F. Emiroğlu ; red. M. Qasımlı ; rəyç. H. Babaoğlu, E. Nəsirov, R. Sevdimalıyev, Q. Hacıyev, A. Asker, R. Qarayev ; burax. məsul S. Süleymanzadə ; üz qab. diz. G. Əmirova. - İstanbul: Türk Yayınevi Nəşriyyatı, 2020. - 166 p.
8. Azerbaijan in The Family of The United Nations / The Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTaj. - Baku : Nurol, 2000. - 342 p.