Azerbaijan, Iran discuss strengthening cooperation in tourism

On November 20, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Reza Salehi Amiri expressed satisfaction with the successful and high-level hosting of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.

One of Azerbaijan's priorities during its presidency at COP29 is advancing climate action within the tourism sector, the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Caliber.Az.

The discussions also covered the current Azerbaijan-Iran relations, as well as prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in the areas of mutual interest.

COP29, being held from November 11 to 22 at Baku Stadium, represents Azerbaijan's largest and most significant international event to date, marking the first time the country has hosted a COP summit. The event began with the signing of a Host Country Agreement and other important documents between the Azerbaijani government and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. A central focus of COP29 is the establishment of a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. In line with this, the presidency of COP29 has introduced 14 key initiatives that link climate action to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These initiatives cover areas such as green energy corridors, energy storage, climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction from organic waste, and the development of green digital technologies. One of the flagship proposals is the creation of a Climate Finance Action Fund, aimed at supporting the critical goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Throughout COP29, Azerbaijan has demonstrated its commitment to climate action and environmental protection. The unanimous decision to elect Azerbaijan as the host for this summit underscores the global community’s trust in the country’s leadership on climate issues. In his opening remarks, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s pivotal role in global climate efforts, underscoring the country’s dedication to mitigating climate change and advancing sustainable development.

By Naila Huseynova