COP29 president-designate holds climate talks with Costa Rica, UN officials

COP29 President-designate and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukhtar Babayev, has engaged in high-level discussions on climate priorities with Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo André and UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Climate Issues, Selwyn Hart.

These meetings took place on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, with less than 50 days remaining until the COP29 conference in Baku, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to a statement shared on COP29's official social media platform, Babayev's meeting with Foreign Minister André was focused on advancing Costa Rica's climate goals.

“The COP29 Chairmanship held today positive talks on the climate priorities of Costa Rica with the Foreign Minister of this country, Arnoldo André, in the framework of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York,” the statement said.

Babayev reaffirmed the COP29 presidency's commitment to an inclusive process, ensuring that the views of all participating nations are taken into account during the upcoming climate conference.

“The COP29 Presidency continues to take an inclusive approach in ensuring a process where the views of all parties will be taken into account,” the message emphasized.

In a separate meeting, Babayev discussed broader climate goals with Selwyn Hart, the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Climate Issues. The talks were centered around joint efforts to ensure a successful outcome at COP29, which will be hosted in Baku.

“COP29 President-designate Mukhtar Babayev met with the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Climate, Selwyn Hart, to discuss common goals and joint efforts on COP29 less than 50 days before the conference to be held in Baku,” read the statement from COP29’s social media page.

As the countdown to COP29 continues, Azerbaijan is positioning itself at the forefront of global climate negotiations, ensuring that both regional and international priorities are addressed in Baku.

By Khagan Isayev