There are 17 ministries in Azerbaijan. Medianews.az reports that the history of 10 ministries dates back to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic period (1918-1920).
In 1919, a temporary instruction regarding the Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was adopted. In 1922, Azerbaijan's independent foreign policy activity was suspended. In 1944, the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan was established, later turning into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Military Affairs operated during 1918-1920. The Ministry of Defense, established in 1991, is the successor of that institution.
The Ministry of Justice was founded in 1918. It was abolished in 1920, and the People's Commissariat of Justice was established. The commissariat was disbanded in 1930, reactivated from 1933 to 1959, and the Ministry of Justice was re-established again in 1970.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, established in 1918, operated in a joint structure with security agencies from 1920 to 1950. It was known as the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, the United State Political Directorate, the People's State Security Commissariat, and the State Security Ministry at different times.
The Ministry of Finance was established in 1918.
The Ministry of Agriculture was established in 1918 under the name Ministry of Cultivation and Labor; in the same year, it was renamed the Ministry of State Property and Cultivation. Since 1920, it was known as the State Land Commissariat; in 1946, it first took the name Ministry of Cultivation and later the Ministry of Agriculture. In 1985, merged with several other institutions, the Ministry of Agriculture turned into the State Agrarian Industry Committee. In 1992, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food was established, and in 1993 the Ministry of Agriculture was re-established.
The Ministry of Post and Telegraph was established in 1918 and became the Ministry of Post and Telegraph Commissariat in 1920. In 1953, the Ministry of Communications was created, renamed the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies in 2004, the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies in 2014, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies in 2017, and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport in 2021.
The Ministry of Health was established in 1918.
The foundation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population was laid during 1918-1919. Since 1920, it was known by various names: the National Economy Council, the People's Labor Commissariat, the Public Assurance Commissariat, and the People's Public Assurance Commissariat. In 1992, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population was established on the basis of the Ministry of Social Protection and the State Labor and Social Affairs Committee.
The Ministry of Public Education was established in 1918 and reorganized as the People's Education Commissariat in 1920. Since 1959, Azerbaijan had two ministries and one committee related to education (Ministry of Public Education, Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, State Technical Vocational Education Committee). The Ministry of Public Education was created in 1988. In 1993, the institution was divided into the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Education was established that year. Since 2022, the institution has been called the Ministry of Science and Education.
One ministry was established during the Soviet authority period (1920-1991). The Ministry of Culture, established in 1953, functioned under the name Ministry of Culture and Tourism from 2006 to 2018.
The history of 6 ministries dates back to the new period starting from 1991.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports was established in 1994. In 2001, it was transformed into the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Tourism, and since 2006 it is again the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The Ministry of Economic Development was founded in 2001, renamed the Ministry of Economy and Industry in 2013, and the Ministry of Economy in 2016.
The Ministry of Fuel and Energy was established in 2001, renamed the Ministry of Industry and Energy in 2004, and the Ministry of Energy in 2013.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources was created in 2001 on the basis of the State Committee for Ecology and Control over Use of Nature and the State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources.
The Ministry of Defense Industry was established in 2005 based on the State Committee for Special Engineering and Conversion.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations was established in 2005.
Medianews.az's reference:
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established on May 28, 1918.
The republic fell to Russian occupation on April 28, 1920, and the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was declared.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which included Azerbaijan, was formed on December 22, 1922.
On September 23, 1989, the parliament (Supreme Soviet) adopted the constitutional law on the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.
Since February 5, 1991, the country has been referred to as the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On August 30, 1991, the parliament voted for the declaration of the restoration of state independence, and the Republic of Azerbaijan was declared the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. On October 18, the constitutional act on state independence was adopted by parliament, and on December 29, that document was confirmed by referendum.
Toğrul Ali,
Medianews.az