Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Economy, Sahib Mammadov, presented the country's Fourth Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York.

According to Ednews, speaking at the event, Mammadov provided a comprehensive overview of the national strategies outlined in the document.

"The review covers the progress of national commitments from 2021 to 2024, highlighting crucial action plans implemented to mitigate the impact of global and local challenges on achieving the sustainable development goals set out in the 2030 Agenda," he stated.

The deputy minister emphasized Azerbaijan's remarkable progress over the past decade: the minimum wage has nearly tripled, average monthly salaries have doubled, minimum pensions have increased by 2.4 times.

Mammadov also shed light on the severe landmine problem facing Azerbaijan.

"Landmines have inflicted enormous damage on our country. 3,400 Azerbaijanis have been affected by mine explosions, with about 300 fatalities. Among the victims are 358 children and 30 women," he revealed.

Azerbaijan ranks among the top five most mine-contaminated countries globally, with 1.5 million mines covering 12% of its territory. The country is determined to resolve this humanitarian crisis and is undertaking extensive development efforts to build vital infrastructure and create safe, sustainable communities in liberated territories.

The deputy minister also outlined Azerbaijan's commitment to combating climate change: increasing the share of renewable energy sources to 24% of installed power generation capacity by 2026, further increasing this share to 30% by 2030, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to 1990 levels by 2050.