On November 15, within the framework of COP29, an international conference on South-South cooperation of NGOs from the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement was held on the initiative of the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan.
Oku.Az reports that at the international conference “Developing Climate Action through South-South Cooperation: The Role of NGOs”, during the four years of presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement, Azerbaijan signed important global initiatives and made a contribution significantly to strengthening solidarity between countries, including climate-related activities. Foreign NGOs congratulated Azerbaijan, one of the leading countries in the Global South, for successfully hosting COP29.
At the end of the international conference, NGOs representing the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement agreed on the text of a joint declaration on the role of NGOs in developing climate action through South-South cooperation and announced Joining the declaration is open to all NGOs participating in COP29.
The statement expresses strong support for Azerbaijan, draws attention to its global role and praises Azerbaijan’s “COP Ceasefire Call” aimed at stopping wars during climate negotiations to promote peace and collective global action in the framework of COP29. Countries around the world are invited to prioritize the humanitarian aspects of climate change, including the protection of vulnerable communities, social justice and resilience in the face of environmental crises, and align their actions with the spirit of the “Ceasefire Call.” of the COP”.
The document emphasizes the important role of NGOs in solving climate resilience and humanitarian problems, promoting inclusive policies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the need to expand cooperation between governments, financial institutions and NGOs to support financing and climate initiatives at the local level. Globally, NGOs are being asked to strengthen their role in promoting climate action through South-South cooperation, particularly in promoting partnerships that support regional climate challenges and community solutions.
The statement also affirms that the time has come to establish the Global South NGO Platform in support of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum initiative as a cooperation network on climate action to share best practices and promote sustainable development.
1,023 representatives of NGOs and social activists from 137 countries signed the declaration open to members of civil society represented at COP29.
It should be noted that it is the first time in the history of NGOs of our country that civil society organizations from regions covering 71 percent of the world’s countries express their support for the initiative of Azerbaijani NGOs.
