BAKU: Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has had a meeting with Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Patricia Scotland, the Press and Public Relations Department The Milli Majlis told APA. They discussed issues related to cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth, the COP29 taking place in our capital city and the global initiatives that our country had put forth as part of her COP29 presidency.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova recalled fondly her previous meetings with Patricia Scotland, noting that the Secretary General’s first visit to Azerbaijan in her current capacity in May initiated institutional cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth countries. The practical aspects of the cooperation included political and financial support to the Small Island Developing States via the Commonwealth.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that climate change is a significant area of cooperation. The Small Island States are particularly vulnerabl
e to climate change and face its worst consequences, including existential threats. They discussed the Summit of the Leaders of the Small Island Development States held in the COP29 format, focused on climate change. President Ilham Aliyev participated in the Summit, delivering a speech on the challenges posed by climate change affecting Small Island Developing States and highlighted Azerbaijan’s practical steps to support these states. The Summit aims to amplify the voices of these states.
Additionally, Sahiba Gafarova informed her guest about the Parliamentary Meeting organized by the Milli Majlis in conjunction with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, scheduled for 16-17 November on the sidelines of COP29. Approximately 300 delegates from various national parliaments and international organizations are expected to attend the meeting.
Secretary General Patricia Scotland congratulated Azerbaijan on assuming the COP29 chairmanship and expressed her wishes for success during the presidency term. She also acknowle
dged Azerbaijan’s support for Small Island States.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on matters of shared interest.