Azerbaijan, Iran discuss strengthening bilateral ties during COP29 meeting PHOTO

Vice Speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Ziyafat Asgarov and a delegation led by Iranian MP Mohammad Javad Asgari, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, have discussed strengthening bilateral ties.

While welcoming the guests, Asgarov, who is also the head of the Working Group for the Azerbaijani-Iranian Interparliamentary Relations, highlighted the growing friendly relations between the two countries, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

He noted that Azerbaijan held snap parliamentary elections in September 2024, resulting in the formation of the Azerbaijani parliament of the seventh convocation, and the establishment of a working group for interparliamentary relations with Iran.

He emphasised that the two countries cooperate in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. Asgarov pointed out that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is being held in Baku at a high level.

He expressed satisfaction that the Parliamentary Meeting, organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Azerbaijani parliament, has begun its work within COP29, and that the Iranian parliamentary delegation is actively participating in this important event. 

He discussed the special focus of the meeting on environmental protection and addressing the impacts of climate change, as well as the potential contributions that parliaments can make in this regard.

Head of the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly delegation, Mohammad Javad Asgari, expressed gratitude for the warm welcome. 

He stated that Iran is keen to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all areas, noting the potential for further expanding bilateral ties, and highlighted the role of parliaments in strengthening these relations.

Mohammad Javad Asgari congratulated Azerbaijan on the high level of organisation of COP29 and the Parliamentary Meeting held within COP29. 

He emphasised the global significance of this event, which focuses on addressing environmental issues. He also underscored the importance of joint efforts by governments and parliaments to protect against the negative impacts of climate change and to mitigate its consequences.

The meeting included a detailed exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.

COP29, which is being held at Baku Stadium from November 11-22, is Azerbaijan’s most significant international event to date and the first time the country has hosted a COP conference. The summit kicked off with the signing of the Host Country Agreement and other key documents between the Azerbaijani government and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.

One of the central goals of COP29 is the establishment of a New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. To further this aim, the COP29 presidency has introduced 14 key initiatives designed to integrate climate action with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These initiatives cover a broad spectrum of critical areas, including the development of green energy corridors, energy storage solutions, climate resilience strategies, clean hydrogen, methane reduction from organic waste, and the promotion of green digital technologies. A flagship proposal of the conference is the creation of the Climate Finance Action Fund, which is aimed at supporting efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Throughout the event, Azerbaijan has continued to reaffirm its strong commitment to addressing climate change and promoting environmental protection. The unanimous decision to select Azerbaijan as the host for COP29 reflects the global community’s trust in the country’s leadership on climate-related issues. In his opening remarks, President Ilham Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan’s central role in global climate efforts, emphasizing the nation’s dedication to tackling climate change and advancing sustainable development.

By Naila Huseynova