Baku, November 16, AZERTAC

“Following the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the full restoration of the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, the Republic of Azerbaijan has been pursuing a broader and more global foreign policy, contributing to addressing issues on the international agenda. COP29 is a prime example of this commitment,” Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, stated during an interview with Azerbaijan Television on the sidelines of COP29.

Hajiyev emphasized that from the moment Azerbaijan assumed the COP29 Presidency, it committed to fostering inclusive, fair, and fully transparent negotiations, particularly on climate financing—one of the summit's core agenda items. He noted that President Ilham Aliyev, in his speech at COP29, articulated Azerbaijan's position on climate diplomacy and presented a clear vision of the country's stance on global climate challenges. The President's speech was met with significant interest from the international media, experts, and foreign representatives attending the event.

"President Ilham Aliyev engaged in open and sincere dialogue with the international community, stressing that global climate challenges cannot be resolved solely by discussing green transformation. Major polluting factors and countries must be acknowledged, and baseless propaganda campaigns targeting COP host nations should be set aside. Instead, discussions must focus on the scale of pollution and the responsibilities of major contributors," Hajiyev stated.

He added, "The President’s theses are pivotal to shaping the main discussions at COP29. They align with the views of the vast majority of the global community, particularly developing countries. Importantly, these ideas are consistent with the essence and philosophy of the Paris Agreement, which upholds the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities.' Since the Industrial Revolution, developed countries have been primarily responsible for increasing carbon emissions, and thus, the world expects these nations to lead in setting financial goals and contributing to climate action."