Azerbaijani parliament speaker, Chinese diplomat hail importance of 12th Global Baku Forum PHOTO

On March 12, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova and Wu Hongbo, the head of the delegation from the People’s Diplomacy Institute of China and former Special Representative of the Chinese government on European Affairs discussed the significance of the upcoming 12th Global Baku Forum.

The Azerbaijani side noted that the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre has become one of the leading global organisations addressing a wide range of pressing global issues. Since its inception, the Centre has provided a platform for addressing global challenges and finding collaborative solutions, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Gafarova emphasised the importance of Azerbaijan's strategic partnership with China, highlighting the successful collaboration between the two countries across multiple sectors. She underscored that the relationship has matured into a strong and mutually beneficial partnership, with both sides offering consistent support on a variety of issues.

The role of high-level political dialogue and the leadership of state heads in fostering bilateral ties was also discussed. The Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and China was highlighted as a crucial framework that has propelled the partnership forward. In addition, the relationship between the legislative bodies of Azerbaijan and China was addressed. 

Both parties acknowledged the growing cooperation between their parliaments and stressed the importance of continued engagement and reciprocal visits to further strengthen these ties. Wu Hongbo expressed his satisfaction with participating in the 12th Global Baku Forum, commending the event's organization. He also praised Azerbaijan’s successful hosting of COP29, emphasising China’s active contribution to the conference’s efforts. 

The discussions also touched on various global challenges and shifting geopolitical dynamics, with concerns over several ongoing international developments. The importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing these challenges was reiterated by both sides. The meeting concluded with a mutual exchange of views on other issues of shared interest, reinforcing the ongoing commitment to deepening Azerbaijan-China relations.

The flagship event of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre, the 12th edition of the Global Baku Forum will be held on March 13-15, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the title of ‘‘Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities’’. The event is promising to bring over 400 participants including current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, international organisations, and civil society. 

As every year, the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre is targeted to bring the wisdom and experience of its distinguished members and participants in an open and unconstrained debate to learn from the past, assess the present, and envision the future. In the 11 years of its existence, over 100 current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, and more than 4000 other high-level representatives of governments, international organizations, and civil society have participated in the Forum to discuss how to overcome the world’s most pressing challenges. 

By Naila Huseynova