Azernews.Az

Africa has praised Azerbaijan for its proactive diplomatic engagement in climate action and peacebuilding. The remarks were made yesterday during the “Vulnerable Countries Forum,” organized by Azerbaijan’s COP29 Presidency and the Baku Center for Climate and Peace Action, as part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) African Climate Week (ACW), Azernews reports.

In her opening speech, Ethiopia’s Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Adela, thanked Azerbaijan for its sustained attention to African nations affected by climate change and conflicts. She highlighted the significance of the Baku Peace Call, adopted during COP29 in Baku last year.

Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Africa, and Francesco Corvaro, Italy’s Special Representative on Climate, commended the Baku Center for becoming one of the world’s key platforms for international collaboration and climate action within a short time since its establishment last year.

Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chairing the forum, expressed gratitude for the recognition of COP29’s work linking peace and climate. He emphasized that the Baku Center enjoys support from over 30 countries, multiple multilateral organizations, and more than 300 international NGOs. Ambassador Iskandarov noted that the Center’s work addresses diverse challenges facing nearly 20 of the world’s most vulnerable nations and that pilot projects with international support and financial partnerships have already commenced in three countries.

Officials from Chad, Iraq, and Guinea-Bissau presented the pilot projects supported by the Baku Center, praising the expertise and experience provided by the COP29 Presidency.

During panel discussions, African officials and representatives from the Green Climate Fund, International Organization for Migration, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Development Programme (UNDP), African Development Bank (AfDB), Adaptation Fund, and other international institutions expressed their support. They proposed concrete collaborations to tackle water scarcity, land degradation, food security, and climate-induced migration.

The forum concluded with an agreement to present the outcomes of these initiatives at the High-Level Dialogue of the Baku Center for Climate and Peace Action during COP30.