Tajik, Uzbek top lawmakers land in Baku for COP29’s key sessions PHOTO

On November 16, Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan, arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). 

Zokirzoda was welcomed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport by MP Aydin Mirzazade and other officials, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

At the same time, Tanzila Narbayeva, the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, also arrived in Azerbaijan to attend COP29. Narbayeva was met by MP Sattar Mokhbaliyev and other dignitaries upon her arrival at the airport.

A central event within COP29 is the parliamentary meeting jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani Parliament). This meeting, held on November 16-17, is expected to bring together 92 delegations from 66 countries and international organizations, with approximately 330 participants in total, including 167 members of parliament. Among the attendees will be 12 speakers and vice-speakers from various national legislatures.

COP29, which is being held at Baku Stadium from November 11 to 22, is Azerbaijan's largest and most significant international event to date and marks the first time the country has hosted a COP conference. The summit opened with the signing of the Host Country Agreement and other important documents between the Azerbaijani government and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.

One of the key goals of COP29 is the establishment of a New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. To support this initiative, the COP29 presidency has introduced 14 key initiatives that link climate action to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These initiatives address several critical areas, including green energy corridors, energy storage, climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction from organic waste, and the development of green digital technologies. A flagship proposal is the establishment of the Climate Finance Action Fund, designed to support efforts aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

Throughout COP29, Azerbaijan has demonstrated its strong commitment to climate action and environmental protection. The unanimous decision to elect Azerbaijan as the host for this summit underscores the global community’s confidence in the country’s leadership on climate-related issues. In his opening remarks, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s pivotal role in global climate efforts, reiterating the country’s dedication to mitigating climate change and advancing sustainable development.

By Tamilla Hasanova