Ilham Aliyev sends an address to the participants of the leaders' event within the framework of Pre-COP 2026

President Ilham Aliyev has sent an address to the participants of the leaders' event within the framework of Pre-COP 2026.

1news.az reports this with reference to the official website of the head of state.

The address reads:

"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 leaders' event within the framework of Pre-COP, which allows the world community to find itself directly on the front lines of the fight against the climate crisis.

As a country that proudly hosted COP29, Azerbaijan joins this high-level event with a deep sense of continuity and with an unwavering commitment to advancing the global climate action agenda. Our experience of hosting COP once again confirmed that climate change measures can neither be postponed nor implemented in isolation. Today we have gathered here to connect the legacy of COP29 in Baku with the key decisions ahead, so that the momentum gained in Azerbaijan directly contributes to the successful holding of the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

It is highly symbolic that this meeting is taking place in the Pacific region, namely in Tuvalu and Fiji — countries for which climate change is an everyday reality. Today, no region on Earth has escaped the consequences of climate change, but for some of them, such as Tuvalu, it poses a threat to the very existence of the state.

Although Azerbaijan faces its own climate challenges, such as the shallowing of the Caspian Sea, water scarcity, and frequent floods, we recognize that small island developing states (SIDS) are the most exposed to the climate crisis. Despite their negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, climate change disproportionately affects their economies and infrastructure, destroying livelihoods and ecosystems.

Azerbaijan has consistently advocated that the voices of those who bear the full brunt of this crisis should not only be heard but should also actively shape global climate policy. Addressing the challenges associated with the particular vulnerability of these countries requires broad international cooperation and coordinated global action. Supporting SIDS is a shared responsibility and a moral duty aimed at ensuring that no country is left behind.

During our COP29 presidency, we placed the priorities of SIDS at the forefront and sought to give their concerns a special place on the international agenda. On the eve of COP29, Azerbaijan hosted the leaders of the Bahamas, Tonga, and Tuvalu. The culmination of that visit was the adoption of the Baku Communiqué, which highlights the needs of SIDS and calls for more decisive global climate action.

COP29 marked a new stage in our relations with SIDS. The Small Island Developing States Leaders' Summit on Climate Change, held within the framework of COP29 in 2024 in Baku, became an important platform for deeper awareness of the challenges faced by SIDS. At the summit, I called on all developed countries, especially those with a colonial past, to significantly increase their contributions to assist SIDS in combating climate change.

In addition to our multilateral engagement, we also provide support to SIDS within the framework of bilateral cooperation focused on their national priorities and development needs. With regard to the world's most disaster-prone countries, we have provided assistance in mitigating the consequences of hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. We have also supported projects in the areas of water supply, food security, and the restoration of cultural heritage. More than ten small island developing countries have benefited from our Educational Grants Program, which has enabled their citizens to study at universities in Azerbaijan.

As another significant step toward strengthening the climate resilience of SIDS, a Joint Declaration between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth of Nations was signed in 2024. Azerbaijan is allocating 10 million US dollars over five years to support projects aimed at combating climate change in these countries. Our cooperation with the Commonwealth of Nations also provides for the use of satellite data supplied by the Azerbaijani space agency Azercosmos to monitor and assess the state of the environment.

Your Excellencies,

Azerbaijan and SIDS are separated by thousands of kilometers, but we are united by a common determination to strengthen resilience to climate change. We have always advocated and will continue to advocate for solidarity with SIDS, supporting their efforts to achieve sustainable development and combat climate change.

I hope that this meeting will serve to strengthen our collective voice and will become a key step ahead of COP31, which will be held in Antalya. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express Azerbaijan's full support for the upcoming COP31 leadership represented by Türkiye and Australia and to highly appreciate this unique format of partnership uniting different continents.

I wish this event every success. Thank you."