The final statement of the international conference on “Addressing the Problem of Missing Persons: Upholding the Right to Know for the Families,” hosted by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan on October 2-3, 2024, in Baku, has been officially distributed to the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
In the document, participants of the international conference, referring to the Conventions for the Protection of War Victims as well as relevant documents and resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, recalling the international legal obligations of states in the field of International Humanitarian Law, call on parties to armed conflicts to take all feasible measures to search for missing persons and provide any information on their fate.
The document also calls on international organizations to assist in determining the fate of missing persons and to support the creation of a special mechanism to address the issue of missing persons during armed conflicts.
One of the key outcomes of the significant international conference in Azerbaijan was the proposal to establish an Annual Baku Dialogue, aimed at discussing various aspects of the issue of missing persons. Such a proposal testifies to the high appreciation by the international community of Azerbaijan’s efforts aimed at addressing this humanitarian problem.
The State Commission of Azerbaijan has reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out active work on the international stage with the goal of finding and returning missing people and bringing the attention of the world community to this pressing issue.