The opening ceremony of the Leaders' Summit of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is taking place in Baku.
The opening ceremony was preceded by a protocol greeting of the summit participants. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres met each high-ranking guest in the lobby of the Baku Olympic Stadium and took photos with each of them. Ilham Aliyev spoke Russian with the leaders of the post-Soviet space, translating into English for Antonio Guterres, in Azerbaijani with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and in English with the others.
A photo was taken following the welcoming ceremony with Ilham Aliyev and Antonio Guterres in the center.
Ilham Aliyev's speech
President Ilham Aliyev addressed the Summit participants with a welcoming speech. The head of state stressed that Azerbaijan can build political, cultural, energy, trade, transportation bridges between different international actors.
"Azerbaijan is a country where east and west, north and south meet, and this is not only about geography. We can build political, cultural, energy, trade, and transportation bridges between different international actors," Ilham Aliyev said.
According to Ilham Aliyev, as a President of COP29, Azerbaijan will do its best to find common understanding between developing and developed countries, between Global South and Global North. He noted that Azerbaijan was honored to host COP29 by unanimous decision of almost 200 countries, which is a sign of respect to Azerbaijan as well as appreciation of our active role in the international arena.
The Azerbaijani leader stressed that despite occupation of 20% of the Azerbaijani territories, Azerbaijan managed to build a strong country with a self-sufficient economy and independent policy.
“Four years ago, we celebrated the historical victory in the Second Karabakh War. A year ago, we fully restored our sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and UN Security Council resolutions, which had remained on paper for 30 years. We implemented these resolutions ourselves and restored international law, justice, and put an end to the Armenian occupation," Ilham Aliyev said.
The head of state noted that Baku plays an active role in intercultural dialogue, adding that multiculturalism is Azerbaijan's state policy, its people live in peace and harmony as one family, regardless of their ethnic or religious identity.
COP29 in Baku
Yesterday, leaders of many countries, including Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Alexander De Croo, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic, President of Iraq Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Daniel Risch, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, President of the UAE Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban and top officials from other countries arrived at Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
The Azerbaijani capital is hosting COP29, the UN climate conference, on November 11-22. The UN Climate Change Conference is the only international platform for centralized discussion of the global climate change, which is held annually, this time in Azerbaijan. The official opening of COP29 took place at the Baku Olympic Stadium.
