Baku, April 28, AZERTAC

The Forum titled “Solidarity in Action: Strengthening Global South NGOs for a New and Fair World" commenced Monday in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku.

Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev first read out President Ilham Aliyev’s address to the event participants. 

Dignitaries attended the event, included leaders of influential non-governmental organizations and civil society representatives from 116 countries, covering about 80 percent of the world's population.

Subsequently, the event saw the screening of the video clip regarding the forum and the launch of the Global South NGO Platform.

In her remote address, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Former Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Former Mayor of Kuala-Lumpur, stressed the significance of the event in shaping the joint future. She also expressed her gratitude to Azerbaijan for its activity on the international arena and the country’s chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

“We are very proud that Azerbaijan is hosting the founding conference of the Global South NGOs Platform and that we are part of this event that brought together countries from the Global South,” said Aygun Aliyeva, Executive Director of the Agency for State Support to NGOs.

Aliyeva noted that the forum, which brings together more than 700 organizations, offers an unparalleled platform for high-level debates on economic, political and social issues. She added: "Unfortunately, many countries of the Global South still face challenges such as colonialism and poverty. Azerbaijan, however, constantly makes its worthy contribution to sustainable development. To help prevent such situations, our country has always stood by these states in all areas and implemented numerous international initiatives together with NGOs.”

Highlighting that Azerbaijan systematically supports the active participation of local NGOs in international projects, Aliyeva outlined a number of initiatives that have been successfully realized to implement joint projects. She welcomed the growing interest of Global South NGOs in cooperating with Azerbaijan.

Aygun Aliyeva underscored that the memorandums of cooperation to be signed during the event would contribute to expanding joint activities between NGOs in the future. She stressed the importance of solidarity and joint action to achieve tangible results, adding: “We must remember that to achieve concrete outcomes, we need to act in solidarity and take joint measures.”

“The Global South NGO Forum will contribute to strengthening cooperation. We must enhance collaboration between our peoples,” said Luis Gallegos, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador and President of the Board of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

Luis Gallegos emphasized the particular need for enhanced South-South cooperation, noting that the world faces new challenges every day. He stressed the importance of being prepared for new pandemics, highlighting that pandemics can affect any country and every individual must remain vigilant. Gallegos underlined that the impact of pandemics should be taken into account and global measures should be taken to prevent and control them.

He also called for resolving emerging problems through dialogue and urged global societies to share responsibilities and make joint decisions.

“NGOs are essential institutions that safeguard the national interests of states in monitoring global changes. They should be recognized as a major force, particularly in advancing climate action,” noted Academician Nabil Ayad, Director of the Academy of Diplomacy and International Governance at Loughborough University, UK.

Noting that Global South countries are more vulnerable to climate change, Nabil Ayad emphasized that, despite these challenges, these nations possess immense potential to ensure resilience through their own resources and strengths.

“Facilitating collaborative efforts to strengthen social capital can lead to more effective climate action. Azerbaijan has proven itself as one of the most capable countries in this regard. The initiatives put forward by Azerbaijan are highly effective and yield positive results in addressing climate issues,” he stated.

Academician Nabil Ayad highlighted the vital role of NGOs in ensuring a resilient and sustainable future, adding that they contribute to the international climate movement and drive evidence-based policy changes.

He also hailed the launch of the Global South NGO Platform, describing it as a landmark venue for further advancing NGO activity.

“The newly launched Global South NGO Platform will focus on addressing regional and global challenges through initiatives,” emphasized Professor Almir Lima Nascimento, Director of the Institute for Research on International Relations of Brazil.

Highlighting numerous challenges in the social and economic spheres, Almir Lima Nascimento described the platform as a united front within the Global South that will facilitate a joint fight against injustice, poverty, and other global challenges, such as climate change.

The Brazilian professor emphasized the prestige of the newly established network, which relies on mutual interaction between member states, noting that all members should benefit from it.

“The role of NGOs in the world is not limited to social projects, but it is also of great importance in promoting healthy dialogue and ensuring peace,” stated Bobur Bekmurodov, Chairman of the Committee of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the Nationwide movement Yuksalish.

"Unfortunately, the world today is increasingly moving away from democratic values and principles. However, the existence of NGOs offers strong resistance to this negative trend, providing an alternative," Bekmurodov noted.

Noting that Baku’s hosting the forum is a clearly testament to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s support for sustainable development, Bobur Bekmurodov added: “In this regard, the Azerbaijani President’s leadership and initiatives should serve as an example for other countries”.

Other speakers included Ramil Iskandarli, Chairman of the Board at the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum, Charlene Ruto, daughter of Kenyan President William Ruto, Founder and CEO of SMACHS Foundation, Vladanka Andreeva, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan.

The event then continued with the panel discussion related to the NGOs’ fighting climate change in the Global South.

Mukhtar Babayev, Representative of the Azerbaijani President on climate issues, described hosting the COP29 Conference as a great success story for Azerbaijan. He noted that the outcomes of the COP29 indicated that the international cooperation has entered a new phase.

“One of Azerbaijan's main priorities during the COP29 was ensuring inclusiveness and transparency. We wanted to involve all the civil societies, particularly the NGOs, in this process, and we are glad that our partners supported us on this track,” Babayev added.

In her remarks, Nigar Arpadarai, UN climate change high-level champion for COP29, noted that without the global involvement, the global agenda loses its significance.

According to her, Azerbaijan has demonstrated a fair position during the COP29.

"It is essential to unite multiple stakeholders. No agreement, no matter how ambitious, can be durable without people’s trust and support. We must learn from the outcomes we have achieved. Azerbaijan has always been in favor of solidarity. We have tried to raise the voice of the Global South and engage in dialogue with the Global North," she added. 

“The South Caucasus region is constantly experiencing changes. Currently, the region is moving towards an inspiring and powerful peace process,” said David Fernandez Puyana, Ambassador of the University for Peace to the United Nations Offices in Geneva and Vienna underscored.

According to him, Azerbaijan, located at the crossroads of Global North and Global South, plays a leading role in ensuring solidarity and cooperation.

The Forum also agreed that the headquarters of the Global South NGO Platform would be located in Baku. Azerbaijan then assumed the chairmanship of the Global South NGO Platform, following the consent of NGOs from 116 countries during the Forum themed "Solidarity in Action: Strengthening Global South NGOs for a New and Fair World."

Ramil Iskandarli, Chairman of the Board at the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum, has been appointed as acting Secretary General of the Global South NGO Platform for a one-year term.

During this period, the internal structure will be finalized, with the General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform scheduled for 2026.

The Forum will wrap up on April 29.