Editor's note: Abraham Shmulevich, Israeli political scientist and president of the Eastern Partnership Institute. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the views of News.Az.

Since 2004, Azerbaijan has pursued a long-term policy of reducing development gaps between the capital and the regions by using multi-year state programs as its main instrument.

The First Cultural Forum of the Islamic World, titled “Safeguarding and Revitalization of Cultural Heritage in the Post-Conflict Period,” kicked off Thursday in Azerbaijan’s city of Shusha.

From 1517 to 1917, nearly all modern Arab countries were under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, whose sultan also held the title of caliph. Following its defeat in World War I, the Republic of Türkiye was established in 1923. Meanwhile, in 1932, after a series of successful wars on former Ottoman lands, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) emerged. Spanning approximately 2.15 million square kilometers and home to nearly 35 million people, its capital is Riyadh. However, what truly elevates its standing in the Islamic world is its stewardship of Islam’s two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. In 1938, vast oil reserves were discovered in the kingdom, cementing its economic power.

The 12th meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee (IWHC) took place in Shusha, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday, coinciding with the celebration of Shusha as the Culture Capital of the Islamic World for 2024.