Presidential aide: Majority of nations back Azerbaijan’s position on climate at COP29

Azerbaijan's position on key climate issues at COP29 has garnered significant support from the majority of participating countries, according to Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev.

During an interview with Azerbaijan Television on November 16 at COP29, Hajiyev said that after the conclusion of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the full restoration of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, the Republic of Azerbaijan is pursuing a broader and more global foreign policy aimed at addressing global issues and contributing to the global agenda. COP29 is one of the key events within this framework, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Hajiyev emphasized that by assuming the presidency of COP, Azerbaijan has immediately made it clear that it will prioritize inclusivity, fairness, and absolute transparency in contributing directly to results-oriented negotiations and discussions related to climate finance, which are at the core of the COP29 agenda.

President Ilham Aliyev, in his speech, clearly articulated Azerbaijan's stance in this process and outlined the country's vision regarding climate diplomacy as a whole. The President's address was met with significant interest and approval by international media, numerous experts, and representatives from various countries participating in COP.

"As in all other matters, President Ilham Aliyev engaged in an open and sincere dialogue with the international community on this issue, pointing out that merely speaking in general terms about green transformation will not resolve the global climate problem. There are major polluting factors in the world, namely certain countries,” the president’s aide said.

Hajiyev remarked, “We need to move away from fake news, dirty propaganda campaigns, and biased trends against COP-hosting countries. Instead, we should openly and sincerely address the scale of the major pollutants and the role played by different countries.”

“Therefore, the key points raised by the President of Azerbaijan have become one of the guiding directions in the ongoing discussions, aligning not only with the views of the vast majority of the world but also reflecting the perspective of developing countries in particular,”

He noted the importance of recognising that the President's statements are fully aligned with the essence and philosophy of the Paris Agreements: “When the Paris Agreements were reached, the key concept was that states have common but differentiated responsibilities. This means that since the Industrial Revolution, it is the developed countries that bear a special responsibility for increasing carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. Therefore, the world places great expectations on developed nations to set current financial targets and make adequate contributions.”

By Khagan Isayev