President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the 2026 Pre-COP Leaders Event.
elchi reports that the address states:
“Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the governments of Fiji, Tuvalu, and Australia for organizing this unique Pre-COP Leaders Event, which brings the global community to the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis.
As the country that successfully hosted COP29, Azerbaijan joins this high-level event, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to ensuring sustainability and advancing the global climate agenda. Our experience with the COP event reaffirmed once again that climate action can neither be delayed nor implemented in isolation. Today, we have gathered here to connect the legacy of Baku COP29 with the upcoming key decisions, and to ensure that the momentum built in Azerbaijan directly supports the path leading to the successful holding of the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
It is symbolic that this event is held in the Pacific region, particularly in countries like Tuvalu and Fiji, where climate change is a daily reality. Today, no region on Earth has escaped the impacts of climate change, but for some countries like Tuvalu, it poses an existential threat.
Although Azerbaijan faces climate-related challenges such as the receding level of the Caspian Sea, water scarcity, and frequent floods, we recognize that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are the most vulnerable to the climate crisis. Despite contributing negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions, climate change disproportionately affects these states’ economies and infrastructure, destroying livelihoods and ecosystems.
Azerbaijan has stood as an advocate for countries facing the most severe consequences of this crisis, not only ensuring that their voices are heard, but also that they actively contribute to the shaping of global climate policy. Addressing the unique vulnerabilities of these countries requires closer international cooperation and coordinated global action. Defending Small Island Developing States is not only our shared responsibility, but also our moral duty aimed at ensuring that no state is left behind.
Within the framework of our COP29 Presidency, we brought the priorities of Small Island Developing States to the forefront and sought to keep their issues on the international agenda. Prior to COP29, the leaders of the Bahamas, Tonga, and Tuvalu gathered in Azerbaijan. This visit resulted in the adoption of the Baku Communiqué, which highlighted the needs of Small Island Developing States and called for stronger global climate action.
COP29 laid the foundation for a new phase in our relations with Small Island Developing States. The Small Island Developing States Climate Change Leaders’ Summit, held within the framework of COP29 in Baku in 2024, served as an important platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by these states. At this Summit, I called on all developed countries, especially those with a colonial past, to significantly increase their contributions to support Small Island Developing States in combating climate change.
Alongside our multilateral cooperation, we also supported Small Island Developing States through bilateral cooperation tailored to their national priorities and development needs. We supported a number of the world’s most disaster-prone countries in mitigating the impacts of hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. We also supported projects on water supply, food security, and the restoration of cultural heritage. More than 10 Small Island Developing States benefiting from our Education Grant Program enabled their citizens to study at universities in Azerbaijan.
As another important step to enhance the climate resilience of Small Island Developing States, a Joint Declaration was signed between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth in 2024. Azerbaijan is providing 10 million US dollars in aid over a 5-year period to support projects in the field of combating climate change in these countries. Our cooperation with the Commonwealth also envisages the use of satellite data provided by the Azerbaijan Space Agency – Azercosmos for environmental monitoring and assessment.
Your Excellencies,
Although thousands of kilometers separate Azerbaijan from Small Island Developing States, we are united by a shared determination to enhance resilience to climate change. We have always stood in solidarity with Small Island Developing States and will continue to support them in their efforts to achieve sustainable development and combat climate change.
I hope that this gathering will further strengthen our collective voice and serve as an important step in preparation for COP31 to be held in Antalya. Taking this opportunity, I express Azerbaijan’s full support for the upcoming COP31 presidency of Turkey and Australia, and note my high appreciation for this unique partnership format uniting different continents.
I wish success to this event. Thank you.”