OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Governments of Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia for convening this unique Pre-COP Leaders’ Event which brings the global community directly to the frontlines of climate crisis.

As the proud host country of COP29, Azerbaijan joins this high-level event with a deep sense of continuity and unwavering commitment to advancing the global climate agenda. Our COP experience further confirmed that climate action can neither be delayed, nor achieved in isolation. We stand here today to bridge the Baku COP29 legacy with the key decisions ahead, ensuring that the momentum built in Azerbaijan directly supports the path toward a successful 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

It is profoundly symbolic that this gathering is convened in the Pacific, specifically in Tuvalu and Fiji, countries for which climate change is a daily reality. Today no region on the Earth is spared from the consequences of climate change, but for some of them like Tuvalu, it presents an existential threat.

While Azerbaijan is facing its own climate-related challenges, such as shrinking of the Caspian Sea, water scarcity and frequent floods, we recognize that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are the most exposed to the climate crisis. Despite their negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, climate change disproportionately affects their economies and infrastructure, destroys livelihoods and ecosystems.

Azerbaijan has consistently advocated for ensuring that the voices of those bearing the brunt of this crisis are not only heard but also actively shape global climate policy. Addressing these countries’ unique vulnerabilities requires enhanced international cooperation and coordinated global action. Supporting SIDS is a shared responsibility and a moral imperative to ensure that no country is left behind.

We placed the priorities of SIDS at the forefront of our COP29 Presidency and aimed to keep their concerns high on the international agenda. Ahead of COP29 Azerbaijan hosted the leaders of the Bahamas, Tonga and Tuvalu. This visit culminated in the adoption of the Baku Communique emphasizing the needs of SIDS and calling for stronger global climate action.

COP29 marked a new stage in our relations with SIDS. Leaders’ Summit of the Small Islands Developing States on Climate Change, held on the sidelines of COP29 in 2024 in Baku, provided an important platform to raise awareness of the challenges facing SIDS. At the Summit, I called on all developed countries, especially those with a colonial past, to significantly increase their contributions to assist SIDS in combatting climate change.

In addition to our multilateral engagement, we have also supported SIDS through bilateral cooperation tailored to their national priorities and development needs. We have provided assistance to a number of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, in mitigating the impacts of hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. We also supported water supply, food security and restoration of cultural heritage projects. Over 10 SIDS have benefited from our Educational Grant Program, allowing their citizens to study at universities in Azerbaijan.

As a further tangible step to strengthen climate resilience of SIDS, a Joint Declaration was signed between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth of Nations in 2024. Azerbaijan is providing 10 million USD in assistance over a period of 5 years to support projects aimed at climate action in these countries. Our engagement with the Commonwealth of Nations also envisages the use of satellite data provided by the Space Agency of Azerbaijan – Azercosmos – for environmental monitoring and evaluation.

Excellencies,

Azerbaijan and SIDS are separated by thousands of kilometers, but we are united by a common determination to build climate resilience. We have always stood and will continue to stand in solidarity with SIDS and support them in their efforts in achieving sustainable development and tackling climate change.

I hope that this gathering will serve to amplify our collective voice and will be pivotal step in the lead-up to the COP31 in Antalya. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express Azerbaijan’s full support to the incoming COP31 leadership of Türkiye and Australia and praise this unique partnership format connecting different continents.

I wish this event every success. Thank you.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 5 October 2026