Armenia prioritizes anti-Azerbaijani propaganda over COP29 participation: Presidential aide

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, expressed disappointment over Armenia’s choice to skip COP29, despite receiving an invitation to attend.

Speaking to journalists during the conference, Hajiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan, as a member of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, had extended invitations to all parties, including Armenia, for the event, News.Az reports.

“Although Armenia has registered, there is still no information regarding the participation of its representatives. The Armenian side has chosen not to participate in the event, yet continues to talk about regional cooperation and interstate relations. This once again highlights that Armenia uses such occasions for one-sided propaganda,” Hajiyev stated.

He added that while Armenia received an invitation and had the opportunity to attend, its absence was a decision made by the Armenian authorities. Hajiyev reiterated that Azerbaijan, in line with its obligations as a convention member, had made every effort to facilitate productive discussions among all states at the conference.

However, he noted, Armenia and its allies have instead been focusing on anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue at COP29.

COP29, being held in Baku, has attracted over 70,000 participants, with more than 60,000 of them being foreign guests. In addition, more than 3,000 representatives from foreign media outlets have registered to cover the event, according to Hajiyev.

The event kicked off on November 11, and today, November 12, marks the beginning of the highly anticipated World Leaders Summit on Climate Action. This summit, taking place during COP29, is expected to gather around 80 heads of state and government to discuss climate action strategies and commitments.

COP29 is considered one of the largest and most prestigious climate conferences in the world. This year’s event in Baku, which will run until November 22, is the first time COP is being held in Azerbaijan. The country has signed a Host Country Agreement and other key documents with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat, cementing its role as a leader in climate change discussions.

The main goal of COP29 is to achieve an agreement on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) regarding climate finance. In addition, the conference's presidency has launched 14 initiatives, which address key areas linking climate action to the Sustainable Development Goals. These include topics such as green energy corridors, green energy storage, climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, and green digital technologies. Another significant initiative is the establishment of a Climate Finance Action Fund, aimed at supporting the global effort to reduce carbon emissions and meet the 1.5°C climate pledge.

News.Az