20 Tons of Aid from France to Blockaded Artsakh

With the initiative of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the city of Paris, along with the Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Occitanie, Loire, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions, have come together to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Artsakh, who have been blockaded since December 12, 2022, reports the Armenian Embassy in France.

It is noted that the first truck carrying 20 tons of aid from French territorial authorities has departed from Yerevan to the border area of Kornidzor, where it joined another twenty-one trucks transporting essential supplies for the Artsakh residents from the Armenian government. Since June 15, Azerbaijani armed forces have not allowed any movement through the checkpoint, whether for food aid, medication, or medical convoys.

"We are concerned about the ongoing blockade of the corridor by the Azerbaijani armed forces, which is particularly hindering the delivery of humanitarian assistance. We call on Azerbaijani authorities to fulfill their international obligations, especially regarding the decision by the International Court of Justice to ensure free movement through the Lachin corridor," said an official representative of the French local authorities.

The 20 tons of aid being transported is only a small part of a larger convoy funded by the mentioned regions and cities. The main convoy is set to launch at the end of August, led by a delegation of French parliamentarians and local authority leaders supporting this humanitarian initiative for the people of Artsakh.