BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 10. The UN is currently at a very high level of cooperation with Azerbaijan, UN's interim resident coordinator in Azerbaijan, Igor Garafulic, told Trend.
He recalled that the UN signs agreements with member states for a five-year period.
"In October last year, we signed a new cooperation framework covering 2026-2030, and this document encompasses all of Azerbaijan's priorities.
Among these priorities, the environment and urban planning sectors occupy a special place. There is very fluid and good communication with the government.
We have been here for more than 33 years, and during this time we have had many cooperation frameworks. In this new framework, priorities have been defined more precisely and more focused. Your Azerbaijani government specifically stated that the main area of cooperation with the UN should be the environment. Therefore, all our agencies operating in the field of environment — FAO, UN Environment Program, and others — work on the priorities set by the Ministries of Ecology and Economy.
In general, the process is very well synchronized. We know what Azerbaijan wants and are happy to support it in these areas," he said.
He emphasized that Azerbaijan is a very good member of the international community.
"The country submits voluntary reports every year to show the progress it has made. This is very positive, because other countries can learn from Azerbaijan's experience. At the same time, Azerbaijan also benefits from the experience of other countries. This is the essence of the UN - we work not only on resources and finances, but also on sharing development experiences. Countries learn from each other, and in this sense, Azerbaijan both contributes and learns."
Garafulic also spoke about Azerbaijan hosting WUF13. "I am sure that Azerbaijan will host the 13th session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13) in May, and it will be a very successful event. Azerbaijan did a very good job in the COP29 experience, and this experience is being applied now. Therefore, I do not doubt that everything will be successful.
I personally meet with representatives of UN-Habitat and other UN agencies every two weeks and follow the preparation process. I also see the construction of the Olympic Stadium, pavilions, and the general preparation process. I'm sure that everything will be ready on time.
Our participation will be at the highest level. UN-Habitat Executive Director, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Jane Mohammed, and other senior UN officials will attend the forum. Many high-level representatives from various UN offices will also come.
We are also pleased to meet with heads of state and invited ministers. This is an important meeting for the world. As for agreements and memorandums, each agency has its own work plans with individual ministries, but as a UN, the cooperation framework acts as a common 'umbrella' for us and allows us to coordinate our activities in all areas. We are now authorized to work based on that agreement," he concluded.
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