Washington event highlights Azerbaijan's chairmanship at COP29 PHOTO

A significant event dedicated to Azerbaijan's chairmanship at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) was held in Washington, DC.

This hybrid-format event, titled "COP29: Enhancing Ambition, Enabling Action," was organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington in collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.

The gathering saw participation from various stakeholders, including representatives from US government agencies, the diplomatic corps, the private sector, as well as foreign and local media.

Senior Vice President of the US Chamber of Commerce Khush Choksy kicked off the event by welcoming the guests and outlining the program.

Azerbaijani Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim addressed the attendees, discussing global climate change developments and the initiatives undertaken by Azerbaijan under its COP29 chairmanship.

Sue Biniaz, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate of the US President, articulated the US's objectives for COP29. She commended Azerbaijan for its effective and timely submission of the biennial transparency report, reflecting cohesive and dedicated efforts.

Yalchin Rafiyev, Chief Negotiator for COP29 and Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, highlighted the constructive discussions facilitated by the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn. He pointed out that this conference provided an additional platform for parties to meet and discuss climate change issues. Rafiyev also underscored the critical role of private sector collaboration in climate financing.

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, allowing participants to delve deeper into the topics discussed and explore future actions to enhance climate ambition and enable effective climate action.

The COP29 World Climate Action Summit is confirmed to be held in Baku on November 12-13, 2024, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

The decision comes after the Eastern European Group members, comprising 23 countries, unanimously supported Azerbaijan's candidacy to host COP29. This decision was reached following months of deliberation and negotiations among candidate countries Bulgaria, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The process faced obstacles, including objections from Russia against any EU member hosting the event and a veto deadlock between Armenia and Azerbaijan until recently.

Armenia's decision to back Azerbaijan's candidacy on December 7, 2023, was pivotal in breaking the impasse. The Eastern European group officially endorsed Azerbaijan during a meeting solidifying Baku's position as the host city for COP29.

The COP29 World Climate Action Summit in Baku is expected to gather global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to advance international climate policies and initiatives aimed at addressing pressing environmental challenges.