OIC rep praises Azerbaijan’s role in advancing climate initiatives

Expanding international cooperation is a crucial factor in ensuring the successful implementation of the outcomes of COP29, according to Ambassador Hameed Ajibaye Opeloyeru, Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to the UN.

Speaking to local media, Opeloyeru emphasised the importance of Azerbaijan’s role in advancing global climate initiatives, Caliber.Az reports.

“I was in Gabala and saw that Azerbaijan has a rich nature. Today, Azerbaijan is among the countries that can become an example for the world in the transition to a green economy,” he stated.

The ambassador highlighted the significance of discussions held on the theme “Baku Climate Coalition - Green Transition of SMEs: Empowering Women.” The event was organized by Azerbaijan as part of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the UN headquarters in New York.

Opeloyeru noted that the primary goal of the event was to evaluate the results of COP29 and examine how the Baku Process will be implemented. He underlined that Azerbaijan’s main objective within COP29 is to enhance funding for green technologies and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Global and regional cooperation issues are discussed at this meeting. The event also included a presentation on the activities of the OIC. Previous COP28 and COP29 events were held in OIC countries. Azerbaijan is also a member of the OIC, and the main goal is to expand cooperation and ensure the implementation of these initiatives. It is especially important to ensure that small and medium businesses, as well as women entrepreneurs, are able to take advantage of these financial opportunities,” he stressed.

The ambassador further noted that, amid proposals to triple financial resources for the transition to a green economy, a key focus of the event was mobilizing these funds.

COP29, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, took place in Azerbaijan from November 11 to November 22, 2024. This conference represented a critical milestone in the global fight against climate change. Azerbaijan was chosen to host the event during the plenary session of COP28 in Dubai on December 11, 2023, owing to its demonstrated capability in organizing large-scale international summits.

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, welcomed approximately 70,000 international participants, including political leaders, environmental experts, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. During the conference, the COP29 Presidency of Azerbaijan introduced the Baku Finance Goal (BFG), a pioneering commitment aimed at channelling $1.3 trillion in climate finance to developing nations annually.

This ambitious initiative marks a significant increase from the previous climate finance target of $100 billion and is expected to stimulate substantial global investment. Central to this commitment is the pledge by developed nations to allocate at least $300 billion annually for climate projects in developing countries — tripling the previous target. This major financial boost is poised to play a critical role in addressing global climate challenges.

By Tamilla Hasanova