On May 27, 2021, the General Assembly of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences was held in hybrid mode in the big conference hall of the Presidium of ANAS.

The event was attended by the leadership of ANAS, Head of the Department of Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs of the Presidential Administration Farah Aliyeva, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Rashad Nabiyev, Deputy Foreign Minister, ADA Rector of the University Hafiz Pashayev, Chairman of the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Famil Mustafayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the State Examination Center Maleyka Abbaszadeh, full members of the Academy and other state officials attended the event, and corresponding members of ANAS attended online.

President of ANAS, academician Ramiz Mehdiyev greeted the participants of the event and brought to the attention of the issues on the agenda of the General Assembly.

Then a minute of silence was observed in memory of prominent scientists who died last year and made special contributions to the development of Azerbaijani science.

Academician Ramiz Mehdiyev first spoke about the historic victory in the 44-day Patriotic War. He said that last year, under the resolute leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Army, Ilham Aliyev, he showed unparalleled courage to liberate the occupied territories of Karabakh for nearly 30 years and wrote the next glorious page in the history of our independence. He said that the Academy of Sciences, like the whole Azerbaijani society, was proud of its contribution to this victory.

Then, sharing his views on some aspects of the Academy's activities in the reporting year, the head of ANAS said that despite the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the process of reforms, improvement of the management system and organization of science, building in accordance with modern challenges continues.

The speaker noted that numerous discussions were organized in the Presidium to improve the activities of ANAS and eliminate the existing shortcomings, a number of inspections and analyzes were conducted to study the situation on the spot: “Unfortunately, some heads of institutes tried to prevent an objective picture . Therefore, business leaders should not hide the truth, but cooperate to eliminate problems and shortcomings.

Then, academician R.Mehdiyev brought to the attention of the participants of the General Assembly some serious problems that emerged as a result of the analysis and inspections carried out in the reporting year. He noted that it is impossible to talk about the future development of ANAS and transparency without eliminating these shortcomings.

The head of ANAS said that fundamental structural changes were carried out in the staff of the Presidium in order to clarify the boundaries of administrative management and improve the management of scientific activity.

"Today, serious changes are taking place in world science. We must know once and for all that science is the basis of economic, social and cultural development”, academician R. Mehdiyev said, noting that the main task of ANAS is to develop science in the republic. He said that the research conducted by our scientists must meet the requirements of world science and the challenges of state policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev.

At the end of his speech, the President of ANAS said that our scientists, especially the directors of the institutes, should follow the changing agenda and be guided by innovations in their activities, adding that there is no other way to integrate into world science. The academy must play the role of the locomotive of this work in our society. One of our main tasks should be to develop the historical, legal, political and socio-economic bases of the Azerbaijani ideology.

Then, the first vice-president of ANAS, academician Dilgam Tagiyev presented the report on the activity of ANAS in 2020 at the general meeting. He noted that 1618 scientific-research works on 157 scientific problems and 540 topics were carried out at ANAS in the reporting year, 81 grant projects totaling about 7 million manat were implemented. He said that 555 books and 7558 articles were published at ANAS in the reporting year. The number of articles published abroad is 2692, and the number of scientific works published in the authoritative Web of Science and Scopus databases is 1005.

Academician D.Taghiyev presented Azerbaijan's position among 234 countries for scientific productivity and the ranking of ANAS's place in Azerbaijani science, as well as awarded honorary titles, orders and medals by the President of ANAS in 2020 for his services to the development of Azerbaijani science and presented a list of about 35 scientists.

The First Vice-President said that 21 meetings of the Presidium of ANAS were held in the reporting year, a number of important decisions were made at these meetings to increase the efficiency of scientific institutions, scientific-organizational, structural and personnel issues, improvement of normative-legal documents.

Speaking about the activities of the Presidium of ANAS, the academician said that the Scientific-Ideological Center of Azerbaijanism, the Scientific Center of Albanian Studies and the Guba Regional Scientific Center were established at ANAS in the reporting year.

Then D.Taghiyev noted the main problems facing the Department of Physics, Mathematics and Technical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Biological and Medical Sciences, as well as the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of ANAS, research conducted in 2020 and important results.

Vice-president of ANAS, academician Isa Habibbayli spoke at the event on making additions and amendments to the Charter of ANAS.

I.Habibbeyli said that the Charter of ANAS, which is the main normative legal document regulating the activity of the Academy, was first approved by the national leader Heydar Aliyev in 2003, and informed about the changes made to the Charter in different periods.

Then Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Famil Mustafayev, Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Elchin Babayev, Rector of Baku State University, academicians Arif Hashimov, Vagif Farzaliyev, Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, Fakhraddin Gadirov, Abel Maharramov and corresponding member of ANAS Shahbaz Muradov praised the report of ANAS on scientific and scientific-organizational activities in 2020. They spoke about the most important achievements of the enterprises and organizations of ANAS, spoke about the problems and tasks facing the Azerbaijani science, voiced their suggestions and recommendations.

Then, Academician-Secretary of ANAS, Academician Adil Garibov voiced the draft decision of the General Assembly prepared on the basis of the assessments given by the members of the Academy.

At the event, the President of ANAS, Academician Ramiz Mehdiyev voted for the draft decision, taking into account the opinions, proposals and votes of the members of the Academy. According to the results of voting, the report of ANAS on scientific and scientific-organizational activity in 2020 was approved.

Then the issue of making changes in the structure of the Charter Commission of ANAS was discussed. Academician Isa Habibbayli was re-elected chairman of the commission. Adviser of ANAS, academician Telman Aliyev, chairman of Nakhchivan Branch, academician Ismayil Hajiyev, head of laboratory of Institute of Physics, academician Nazim Mammadov, director of Institute of Polymer Materials, corresponding member of ANAS Bakhtiyar Mammadov, chairman of Free Trade Union of ANAS, doctor of jurisprudence, Professor Habil Gurbanov, Director of the Institute of Physiology, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Ulduz Hashimova, Deputy Director of the Institute of Law and Human Rights, Doctor of Law Nazim Jafarli, Head of the Secretariat of the President of ANAS, Doctor of Philosophy in Political Sciences Eldar Amirov, Head of the Legal Department of ANAS Presidium Kamal Aliyev, Head of the Public Relations and Information Department of the Presidium of ANAS, Doctor of Philosophy in Philology Agahuseyn Shukurov has been approved.

Then elections were held for the leading positions and membership of the Presidium of ANAS. A 5-member counting commission chaired by Academician Vagif Farzaliyev has been established. The new composition of the Presidium was determined in the elections held by secret ballot with the participation of 46 members.

According to the results of voting, the president of ANAS, academician Ramiz Mehdiyev, the first vice-president of ANAS, academician Dilgam Tagiyev, vice-presidents, academicians Isa Habibbayli, Ibrahim Guliyev, Nargiz Pashayeva, Rasim Alguliyev, Tofig Nagiyev, Irada Huseynova, ANAS- Academician Arif Hashimov, Academicians Jamil Aliyev, Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, Adil Garibov, Fikret Aliyev, Chairman of the Nakhchivan Branch, Academician Ismayil Hajiyev and Chairman of the Ganja Branch, Academician Fuad Aliyev were included in the Presidium.

The appeal of Azerbaijani scientists to President Ilham Aliyev was voiced at the general meeting by the vice-president of ANAS, academician Irada Huseynova.

In his closing speech, President of ANAS, Academician Ramiz Mehdiyev spoke about the new and important tasks facing the Academy. He noted the need to transform ANAS into an institution that resonates with the goals of a renewed Azerbaijan, in accordance with the multifaceted reforms carried out in our country. The academician said that scientific institutions, scientists and specialists of ANAS, especially the new composition of the Presidium, vice-presidents should be closely involved in the implementation of tasks arising from state policy, actively support the calls of President Ilham Aliyev, strengthen the intellectual potential of our country. They must make their worthy contribution to ensuring strategic interests and raising the prestige of Azerbaijani science in the international arena.