Azerbaijan's Representative Elected ICDO Secretary-General for the First Time

An Azerbaijani representative was elected the Secretary-General of the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) for the first time.

The election took place during the 3rd extraordinary session of the ICDO General Assembly held in Baku on July 10, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, The Caspian Post reports.

Candidates from three countries competed for the position, including Colonel Arguj Kalantarli, Head of the International Relations Department at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.

By winning the majority of votes (23 countries) in the first round, the Azerbaijani candidate was elected Secretary-General of this prestigious institution.

Regarded as the only intergovernmental organization operating in the field of civil protection, the ICDO’s main goal is to provide assistance to agencies responsible for safeguarding and aiding populations during natural and man-made disasters, mitigating their consequences, and promoting international cooperation in this area.

The responsibilities of the ICDO Secretary-General - the highest position in the organization’s structure - include representing the ICDO internationally, managing its structural units, and ensuring the functioning of the ICDO Secretariat.