The United Nations has announced that it will be sending a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time in approximately 30 years. This decision comes after Azerbaijan retook control of the territory, leading to a significant refugee exodus. The mission, agreed upon by the government of Azerbaijan and the UN, is scheduled to take place over the weekend.

Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman, highlighted the importance of gaining access to the region, which has been inaccessible for the past three decades due to the complicated geopolitical situation. The mission will involve a team of around 12 individuals from the UN's humanitarian affairs department.

They will be responsible for assessing the needs of both the people who have remained in Nagorno-Karabakh and the individuals who have been displaced. Dujarric emphasized the importance of respecting international law, particularly human rights law, during this mission.

The UN is also working with the government of Armenia to address the plight of refugees leaving the region. The mission will be led by Ramesh Rajasingham, the director of the Coordination Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Vladanka Andreeva, the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan.

The focus of the mission will be on humanitarian affairs and civilian protection. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan dates back to 1988, and peace talks have been ongoing since 1994. However, sporadic clashes have occurred over the years. The latest escalation in the conflict took place in September 2023, followed by a Russian-brokered cease-fire the next day.