A/HRC/43/44/Add.3
Comments of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan
on the report of Ms. Hilal Elver, the Special Rapporteur on
the right to food, on her visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan
on 1-11 October 2019
I. Introduction
1.
The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan welcomes the visit of the United
Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Ms. Hilal Elver to the Republic of
Azerbaijan from 1 to 11 October 2019 and appreciates the constructive dialogue with the
Special Rapporteur during her visit.
2.
The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan welcomes the report of the Special
Rapporteur. The Government takes note of the recommendations included in the report and
will give them due consideration.
3.
The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan thanks the Special Rapporteur for the
opportunity to present its comments on the report. The Government of the Republic of
Azerbaijan would like to take this opportunity to provide additional information on some of
the main matters regarding the realization of the right to food in Azerbaijan.
II. Comments on the report
1.
Paragraph 8
4.
The GDP of Azerbaijan reached US$ 74.16 billion in 2013 with oil and gas production
generating 42.9% of the overall GDP.
2.
Paragraph 11
5.
According to the information provided by the State Statistics Committee of
Azerbaijan, oil and gas represented 91.7% of the country's exports in 2018. Agriculture
accounted for 5.25% of GDP and employed 36.26% of the population in 2018. Industry
accounted for 52.21% of GDP and employed 14.72% of the population in 2018. Services
accounted for 34.74% of GDP and employed 49.02% of the population in 2018.
3.
Paragraph 12
6.
4.
The poverty rate in Azerbaijan dropped from 49.0% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2018.
Paragraph 16
7.
As a result of the use of force and occupation by Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan are presently occupied by Armenia. The
ethnic cleansing carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijanis in Armenia itself and in the
occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan has
resulted in more than one million Azerbaijanis who became refugees and internally displaced
persons (IDPs).
5.
Paragraph 18
8.
Azerbaijan is a party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination that also contains provisions relevant to the realization of the right
to development.
6.
Paragraph 24
9.
The following legislative acts are also relevant in the context of the realization of the
right to food:
2
Law on water supply and sewage;