Azerbaijani official: Being strong and independent country is necessity

Azerbaijan reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue, multilateral cooperation, and peaceful resolution of international disputes, underlining the strategic necessity of a strong and independent state in a turbulent global environment, the country’s deputy foreign minister said.

Speaking at the Youth Week of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku, Yalchin Rafiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as a mediator, citing the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) held in the capital in 2024 as a demonstration of the country’s diplomatic influence, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Many had doubted whether the conference could deliver concrete results on climate finance, given deep divisions between developed and developing nations.

Yet, he said, the $300 billion figure announced at COP29 marked the first quantifiable outcome of U.N. negotiations on private climate financing.

Rafiyev added that in the face of growing global instability, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy continues to be guided by the principles of non-alignment.

“We live in extremely unsettled times. The global system is undergoing significant changes, and confidence in multilateral institutions is under real threat. In these circumstances, international cooperation becomes even more crucial,” he said.

He stressed that current conditions underscore the importance of conducting an independent foreign policy and strengthening the state economically and militarily.

“Being a strong and independent country today is not a choice but a necessity,” Rafiyev said, adding that modern non-alignment goes beyond avoiding military blocs. “It primarily means independence — in decision-making, national priorities, and the strategic course of the state.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev