BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 22. On April 22, Azerbaijan presented information on its support for SIDS at a high-level event on peace and climate resilience organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan as part of the 82nd session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, the MFA told Trend.
The event, held under the slogan “Leaving No One Behind” (LNOB) with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UNESCAP Secretariat, brought together ministers from developing small island states, senior government officials, and representatives of international organizations.
Addressing the event as the keynote speaker, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador for Special Assignments, Elshad Iskandarov, stated that, under the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan attaches special importance to supporting small island developing states.
He emphasized that historic decisions on climate finance adopted during COP29 under Azerbaijan’s leadership are particularly significant for countries most vulnerable to climate change.
Iskandarov noted that Azerbaijan assists small island states in areas such as international technical aid, climate resilience, and capacity building. He also highlighted the upcoming initiatives of the Baku Climate and Peace Action Centre, one of the key outcomes of Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency, aimed at expanding cooperation with these countries.
Officials from Tonga, the Maldives, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, and Samoa praised Azerbaijan’s leadership in addressing global challenges and expressed gratitude for the support provided.
They also underlined that initiatives promoted through the Baku Center create important opportunities for strengthening international cooperation and mobilizing sustainable financing mechanisms for climate-vulnerable nations. Representatives of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands submitted requests to establish cooperation with the Center.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Executive Secretary of UNESCAP and the representative of the IOM, Lin Yang, expressed support for Azerbaijan’s leadership and its concrete initiatives aimed at enhancing climate resilience and sustainable development for small island states.
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