Azerbaijan, GECF discuss climate finance, technology transfer ahead of COP29

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev, has met with Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

“H.E. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), held a productive bilateral meeting with H.E. Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. During the meeting, H.E. Hamel noted that Azerbaijan is the third GECF Member to host a COP consecutively and expressed the GECF's support for COP29's success,” Caliber.Az reports, citing a post by the GECF on social network X.

The Forum wrote: “H.E. Babayev provided an update on the preparations for COP29, assuring that Azerbaijan is ready to provide all necessary conditions for a successful event. Both leaders emphasized the importance of an inclusive and transparent Climate Conference, anchored in the principles and provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.”

“Their discussions covered several topics including mitigation and adaptation, the importance of climate financing, particularly the setting of a new quantified goal for climate finance, and the significance of technology transfer and capacity building. H.E. Babayev highlighted that access to technology is as crucial as access to finance for developing countries transitioning to cleaner energy systems,” GECF said.

“H.E. Hamel emphasized the essential role of natural gas in providing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy while facilitating orderly, equitable, and economically viable energy transitions. He praised Azerbaijan’s smart energy policy, which integrates natural gas and renewables, as a model for other countries. He also informed that the GECF intends to have a pavilion at COP29,” it added.