The bitterness of the Old Continent Paris and Brussels retreat into defence

COP29 in Baku continues to make progress. On November 13, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Summit was held as part of the event, with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in attendance.

One of the most striking aspects of the President's speech was his sharp criticism of France and the Netherlands over their colonial policies. While addressing the environmental challenges faced by small island nations and the extensive support Azerbaijan provides to these regions, President Aliyev strongly condemned the colonial legacies left by Paris and Amsterdam in these territories.

"The so-called overseas territories of France and the Netherlands, particularly in the Caribbean and Pacific, are among the most severely impacted by climate change. Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss create serious threats to these regions. The voices of these communities are often brutally suppressed by the regimes in their metropolises," President Aliyev stated.

Much of the criticism was directed at France. After listing the colonies of France and the Netherlands, Aliyev remarked, "Let's applaud the people of these territories. They are still suffering today - in the 21st century - from colonial rule. French Polynesia and New Caledonia have been recognized as non-self-governing territories by the United Nations since 1946-1947. However, their decolonization process is still delayed." He then went on to enumerate France's colonial crimes, including over 200 nuclear tests conducted in overseas territories and Algeria, as well as the recent brutal suppression of the Kanak protests in New Caledonia, Martinique, and Guadeloupe.

Having highlighted France's inhumane actions, Aliyev turned his attention to a justified critique of European institutions. "After all that, France was not denounced, neither by the European Commission, nor by the European Parliament, nor by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. This is a political hypocrisy. The European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, two institutions that have become symbols of political corruption, share responsibility with the government of President Macron for the killings of innocent people. All political prisoners in France must be immediately liberated," the President emphasized.

Finally, the Azerbaijani leader reminded the world of the racist worldview of Europe’s chief diplomat. "But what else can we expect from the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe if Chief European diplomat Josep Borrell calls Europe a garden and the rest of the world jungles?! If we are jungles, then stay away from us and don't interfere in our affairs," President Aliyev concluded.

The sharp speech of Azerbaijan’s president has already sparked reactions in Europe. "The comments made by President Aliyev at the opening of COP29 in Baku against France and Europe are unacceptable," said France's Minister for Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, during a speech in parliament. " Direct attacks on our country, its institutions and its territories cannot be justified. Azerbaijan is instrumentalizing the fight against climate change for its undignified personal agenda. These attacks are a flagrant violation of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) code of conduct. They will not go unanswered," the minister continued, outraged. She also (oh, the tragedy!) stated that she had decided to refrain from travelling to Baku next week.

Borrell, the cynical diplomat, did not ignore the comments directed at him. It seems he decided to put on a good face in the face of bad circumstances. "President Aliyev’s allegations on the EU, France & the Netherlands are most regrettable. These unacceptable statements risk to undermine the conference’s vital climate objectives and the credibility of Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency. We stand with France & the Netherlands," Borrell weakly attempted to deflect the blow.

In turn, Azerbaijan’s Presidential Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev responded to Borrell’s duplicity and the EU’s actions as a whole. On his X (formerly Twitter) account, Hajiyev noted that the European External Action Service had sent instructions to EU member states not to participate in COP29. "In the same vein, some EU MS also used their diplomatic network to discourage other countries from attending COP29. By doing that you have tried to undermine the credibility of COP process. But all of these attempts have failed," Hajiyev wrote.

What’s most striking about this story is that "enlightened" Europe, which is typically the one on the offensive, now finds itself on the defensive. The lesson imparted by President Aliyev is straightforward. Europeans should reconsider their habit of condemning other countries from high platforms, as they have no right to do so. It was also naive to expect Baku to refrain from criticizing Europe at such a prominent event. They did not anticipate that such sharp criticism would be delivered from the podium of a global-scale conference.

On the contrary, there is a clear intent to use every opportunity to remind the world who is truly responsible for oppression and discrimination on this planet. COP29 provides an excellent platform for such awareness, as the issues facing humanity are interconnected. Colonial arrogance leads not only to political repression but also to environmental disasters.

It is time for Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels (as the EU capital) to change their worldview. They are no longer at the centre of the world, and this reality is being pointed out not only by countries of the Global South but also by their long-time partner, the United States. Rather than lashing out at Azerbaijan, they would be better served preparing for the challenges Mr. Trump has in store for them.