Non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan have issued a statement on the 20th anniversary of the election of Ilham Aliyev as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the past 20 years saw the beginning of a completely new stage of development of the Azerbaijani people, during which revolutionary changes took place in the life of our society. A strong and modern Azerbaijan built by President Ilham Aliyev on the sound and solid foundation laid by National Leader Heydar Aliyev has secured a rightful place among countries that are confidently advancing into the future, shaking off a number of fateful problems. Azerbaijan of today is also a country with a strong civil society. Over the past decades, it managed to create a comprehensive legal framework, put in place a favorable environment for the free activity of non-governmental organizations, and adopted important decisions for the development of this sector. The first years after the republic regained its independence were marked by the lack of a systemic approach to the establishment of non-governmental organizations. National Leader Heydar Aliyev successfully led the process of defining the state’s approach and priorities in relation to civil society.

The adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1995 marked the start of a qualitative and quantitative growth of non-governmental organizations, as well as the differentiation of their activities. In 2000, a new Law "On Non-Governmental Organizations (Public Associations and Foundations)” was adopted. The policy pursued by Great Leader Heydar Aliyev turned non-governmental organizations into one of the most important institutions in the process of civil society building and democratization of the country, encouraging close cooperation of state bodies and NGOs on the basis of principles of equitable partnership. After National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s successor Ilham Aliyev was elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2003, Azerbaijan's civil society embarked on a new stage of development and introduced a new conceptual approach to this field. In a short period of time, President Ilham Aliyev approved the Concept of state support for non-governmental organizations. The Concept significantly improved and expanded the mechanisms for cooperation between state bodies and civil society institutions.

After that, rule of law, partnership, transparency, compliance and responsibility were identified as top five principles of state support for non-governmental organizations. In 2007, a specialized national donor institution emerged after the establishment of the State Support Council for Non-Governmental Organizations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the following years, the number of state institutions that can provide grants to NGOs gradually increased to 14. In 2013, in order to encourage the participation of civil society institutions in the preparation and implementation of state policy and decision-making in various areas of public state and social life and strengthen public control over the activities of state institutions, President Ilham Aliyev adopted the Law "On Public Engagement”. The introduction of Public Councils created an institutional mechanism for the participation of NGOs in public policies. The fact that President Ilham Aliyev saw NGOs as key partners in state programs and national action plans is another example of confidence placed in civil society institutions.

This strategic inclusion not only enhanced the role of NGOs, but also increased public confidence in their competencies. The communication of NGOs with government institutions was strengthened, paving the way for opportunities to contribute to the development of policies in various fields. The results of the 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018 presidential elections showed again that President Ilham Aliyev is the only choice of the Azerbaijani people. The 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 healed the Azerbaijani society’s most painful wound, as President Ilham Aliyev, the victorious Commander-in-Chief, presented every Azerbaijani citizen with the joy of victory. The post-war era also defined new goals and objectives for civil society. The establishment in April 2021 of the State Agency for the Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been yet another step in the field of increasing the role of non-governmental organizations in the life of the state and society, organizing their activities in accordance with the challenges of the modern era, and improving the organizational and legal foundations and mechanisms of state support in this area. The agency supports the development of NGOs through competition-based funding of NGO projects, public participation, creation of public oversight mechanisms and opportunities, providing NGOs with training and methodological support, promoting cooperation with the private sector, and other means and tools.

The past 20-year period has shown again that President Ilham Aliyev has a clear program on the development of civil society institutions, that a consistent policy is being pursued to encourage active participation of NGOs in social and public life, and that strengthening their role in the protection of state and public interests is one of the main priorities. Whereas in 2003 the number of NGOs registered in the country was at around 1,500, over these years it has more than doubled to exceed 3,700. As a result of the emerging favorable environment, civil society capable of influencing regional processes has been formed in Azerbaijan. The campaign on the Shusha-Khankendi road is one of the most vivid examples of that. The Republic of Azerbaijan is a state that has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The local anti-terrorist campaign, which was carried out in a matter of 23 hours and 51 minutes in September 2023 and forced the terrorists to surrender by waving the white flag and the self-styled criminal and military junta to dissolve itself, has been written in the history of Azerbaijan in golden letters. President Ilham Aliyev has made the dreams of the Azerbaijani people and society come true. Under his leadership in the past 20 years, Azerbaijan has achieved historic successes for the present and future generations. Major achievements have been made in all spheres of socioeconomic development, education, culture and public life in general. Azerbaijan has gained great authority and respect in the international arena. Azerbaijan now has its own say on the international scene. We, the victorious citizens of a victorious country, representatives of Azerbaijan’s civil society, are proud of you, Mr. President! Azerbaijan’s civil society will continue to safeguard the national interests of our state and mobilize all its capabilities for that.”