One of the most significant developments highlighted in 2026 is the scale of the government’s resettlement vision. According to official discussions presented at international forums, Azerbaijan plans the phased return of approximately 700,000 former internally displaced persons by 2030 under the Great Return program. The initiative is regarded as one of the largest planned return movements of displaced populations in recent decades.
Far from being a symbolic effort, the program is supported by comprehensive state policies, large-scale infrastructure investment, and coordinated development strategies spanning multiple liberated districts. By 2025 and 2026, the resettlement process had already begun producing measurable outcomes. More than 7,500 families, representing over 30,000 people, had returned to various settlements across the Karabakh region, including newly reconstructed towns and villages. These figures indicate a clear transition from reconstruction toward active repopulation.
In restored settlements such as Khojaly, hundreds of families have already been resettled, with further expansion expected as housing projects, educational institutions, and public services continue to be completed.
The success of the Great Return program is closely tied to the extensive reconstruction effort underway throughout the liberated territories. Entire cities and villages that had been destroyed or abandoned are being rebuilt from the ground up. The Azerbaijani government has placed particular emphasis on the development of “smart settlements,” combining modern urban planning principles with sustainable technologies.
One of the earliest and most prominent examples is the Aghali project in Zangilan district, developed as a smart village equipped with environmentally friendly energy systems, digital governance mechanisms, and advanced infrastructure. Across the region, newly constructed roads, airports, tunnels, and railway networks are dramatically improving connectivity.
The Fuzuli International Airport has emerged as a critical transportation hub, linking Karabakh with the rest of Azerbaijan while supporting civilian mobility and economic logistics. Large-scale investment programs worth billions of dollars have been directed toward rebuilding residential areas, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions. The strategy reflects a broader vision focused not only on reconstruction but also on sustainable regional development.
Beyond physical infrastructure, the most significant aspect of the Great Return initiative remains the return of people to their ancestral lands. Families displaced during the conflicts of the early 1990s are gradually returning to areas they were forced to leave decades ago.
By 2026, returnees had already been settled in several reconstructed villages across Aghdam, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Khojaly, and other districts. In many locations, newly completed residential complexes have been handed over to families, marking the first return of civilian life to these areas in more than three decades.
Official reports indicate that more than 140 families, representing over 650 individuals, have already been resettled in Khojaly. Additional waves of resettlement are continuing. Similar phased returns are taking place in villages within Aghdam district, including Xidirli, where hundreds of families have moved into newly constructed homes.
For many returnees, these developments represent far more than administrative relocation. They symbolize emotional and generational reunions with their land, heritage, and collective memory.
Despite notable progress, the Great Return program continues to face substantial challenges. Among the most pressing issues is the widespread presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance across liberated territories. Azerbaijani authorities have repeatedly emphasized that demining remains one of the most complex, time-consuming, and resource-intensive aspects of the reconstruction process. Estimates suggest that complete clearance could require several decades.
Another critical challenge involves ensuring sustainable livelihoods for returning residents. Long-term success depends not only on providing housing but also on creating employment opportunities, developing educational systems, expanding healthcare services, and securing economic stability. Without these elements, large-scale resettlement cannot achieve lasting sustainability.
The reconstruction of heavily damaged urban environments presents an additional obstacle. Many settlements remained abandoned or severely degraded for nearly 30 years, requiring infrastructure to be built almost entirely from scratch. Nevertheless, the steady pace of development reflects a sustained commitment to overcoming these challenges through gradual implementation and continued investment.
The Great Return initiative is also positioned as a major economic transformation strategy. Reconstruction efforts across the liberated territories are expected to contribute significantly to Azerbaijan’s non-oil economy in the coming decades. New agricultural zones, logistics corridors, tourism projects, and industrial parks are being developed throughout Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur.
Government planners aim to integrate these territories into national and regional economic systems, transforming them into productive economic centers rather than solely residential communities. International cooperation has also contributed to the adoption of advanced reconstruction technologies, urban planning approaches, and sustainable energy solutions. These efforts have helped position the program as a notable example of post-conflict development planning in international discussions.
For Azerbaijan, the Great Return represents more than a development initiative. It is widely regarded as a national project centered on restoration after decades of displacement and loss. The program seeks to rebuild not only physical infrastructure but also social continuity and historical belonging.
Within Azerbaijan, the return of families to Karabakh and surrounding districts is frequently described as a restoration of justice and a return to ancestral homelands. While international perspectives on the issue may differ, the cultural and emotional significance of the process remains profound within the country.
This symbolic dimension distinguishes the Great Return from many other reconstruction efforts around the world. It combines practical state-led development with powerful themes of memory, identity, and national renewal.
As of 2026, the initiative remains in its early and middle stages. However, tangible progress is already evident. Thousands of families have returned, dozens of settlements have been rebuilt or are under construction, and critical infrastructure networks continue to expand.
The target of returning hundreds of thousands of citizens by 2030 provides a clear roadmap for the future. If current momentum is maintained, the liberated territories are expected to emerge as fully integrated, modernized regions featuring thriving communities, expanding economic activity, and renewed cultural life.
The Great Return program stands as one of Azerbaijan’s most significant national initiatives of the post-conflict era. By combining reconstruction, resettlement, and modernization into a unified long-term vision, it has moved decisively from planning to implementation. While significant challenges remain, the transformation already visible across the region demonstrates a determined effort to convert once-destroyed territories into inhabited, productive, and prosperous communities. Ultimately, the initiative seeks not only to restore what was lost but also to build a new future defined by resilience, renewal, and long-term national development.
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