Armenia Seeks UN Emergency Meeting over Nagorno-Karabakh Humanitarian Crisis

The request resulted from the blockade of the Lachin corridor, as confirmed by the Armenian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

"On August 11, the Republic of Armenia appealed to the United Nations Security Council with a request to convene an emergency meeting regarding the deterioration of the humanitarian situation as a result of the total blockade inflicted upon the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh," the ministry's statement explained, according to Sputnik.

Armenian Permanent Representative to the UN Mher Margaryan, conveyed in a letter to the UNSC President that the Lachin corridor blockade has led to shortages of essential items like food, medicine, and fuel, according to the ministry's statement.

Earlier this week, two UN special rapporteurs and an independent UN expert urged Azerbaijan to immediately lift the Lachin corridor blockade, emphasizing that the situation amounts to a "humanitarian emergency" in the contested region.

Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan engaged in conflicts during the early 1990s and again in 2020, both over Nagorno-Karabakh – a region populated by Armenians that declared independence from Baku in 1991-1992.

The 2020 conflict, spanning 1.5 months, concluded with a Russia-mediated ceasefire and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region. The Lachin Corridor lies adjacent to a Russian peacekeeping outpost.

In 2022, the crucial Lachin corridor, through which vital supplies, medical necessities, and humanitarian aid reach Nagorno-Karabakh via Armenia, was obstructed by individuals labeled by Azerbaijan Republic as climate activists protesting alleged Armenian mining in the area. Subsequently, Azerbaijan's State Border Service suspended the Lachin checkpoint on July 11, citing an investigation into alleged smuggling of goods disguised as humanitarian aid.