Behind the scenes of COP29: Western donors accused of backing anti-Azerbaijan campaigns Report by Milli Majlis’s Commission

In the lead-up to COP29, several international coalitions of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have launched anti-Azerbaijani campaigns, many of which are funded by Western countries. 

According to a report from the Milli Majlis Commission on Combating Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats cited by Caliber.Az, these groups have been accused of spreading biased, one-sided reports and manipulating the narrative surrounding human rights, 

The report highlights that nearly all of these NGOs are based in Western nations, with their main donors being state bodies and institutions. 

While some of these organizations openly disclose their funding sources, others provide only partial information or keep it completely confidential. Regardless, the report claims that these groups have been united in their use of the same talking points to conduct anti-Azerbaijani campaigns.

One example cited in the report is the "Demand Justice at COP" coalition, established on September 11, 2024, and the "COP29 Climate Justice Coalition," whose domain was registered on August 22, 2024. These coalitions have used their platforms to spread anti-Azerbaijani messages under the pretext of advocating for human rights. Further investigation revealed that these coalitions were reportedly formed by associates of a person recently arrested in Azerbaijan for a specific crime.

This comes after the conclusion of COP29, which took place in Baku in November 2024. The summit, chaired by Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukhtar Babayev, saw significant achievements. These included the finalization of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, facilitating transparent carbon markets projected to save $250 billion annually for climate action. 

Additionally, over $730 million was pledged to the Loss and Damage Fund to support vulnerable nations, with project financing set to begin in 2025. A new climate finance target of $300 billion annually by 2035 was also established, along with the launch of the Baku Global Climate Transparency Platform to assist developing countries.

By Tamilla Hasanova