The COP29 Presidency recently visited Australia and Tonga where President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev met with various leaders, politicians, and environmentalists to discuss climate change, the region’s vulnerabilities and its ongoing partnership with Azerbaijan ahead of COP29 in November.
During the visit, Minister Babayev attended the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and signed a Joint Declaration with The Commonwealth to support Commonwealth small island developing states (SIDS) in achieving their Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing their capacity.
While in Tonga and Australia, Minister Babayev held various meetings with key leaders including: Antonio Guterres (UN Secretary-General), Winston Peters (New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister), the Prime Ministers of Tonga and the Cook Islands, Amy Pope (Director General of UN Migration), Maina Vakafua Talia (Tuvalu Minister of Home Affairs), Chris Bowen (Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia), Dr. Mike Freelander MP (Chair of the Australia-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Network), and Hon. Benjamin Cameron Franklin (President of the New South Wales Legislative Council).

The COP29 Presidency recently visited Australia and Tonga, where President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev met with leaders, politicians, and environmentalists to address the urgent climate challenges facing the Pacific Islands region. The CPD witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of severe cyclones, rising sea levels, and flooding, and explored how Azerbaijan can best support these vulnerable nations.

Minister Babayev started the visit at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting where he met with UN and regional leaders. The Forum provided an opportunity to discuss the need to strengthen resilience at all levels and parts of society—from climate change adaptation and sustainable development to health, education, and security— in a region particularly vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change.

At the Forum, Minister Babayev engaged in a series of productive meetings, including:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, where the leaders focused on amplifying the voices of The Pacific Islands and building a more resilient, sustainable future ahead of November’s conference;
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, to strengthen joint efforts in supporting regions most affected by climate change;
The Prime Ministers of Tonga, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Fiji to discuss how Azerbaijan can further support islands across the Pacific in their fight against climate change;
Amy Pope, Director General of UN Migration, to address the urgent need for global cooperation on climate-induced displacement;
Maina Vakafua Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister of Home Affairs to discuss the unique climate challenges faced by Tuvalu.

During the visit, Azerbaijan signed a Joint Declaration with The Commonwealth to support Commonwealth small island developing states (SIDS) in achieving their Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing their capacity. The collaboration highlighted the Presidency’s commitment to strengthening resilience in least developed countries (LDCs) and SIDS. Minister Babayev also highlighted the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Azercosmos and the Commonwealth Secretariat, which will contribute to capacity building and knowledge exchange between climate vulnerable nations.

During his visit to Sydney, Minister Babayev had the opportunity to visit Sydney Marine New South Wales Australia, a world leading marine science institute performing important breaking marine research on the effects of climate change and urbanization, sea level fluctuations, habitat restoration, ocean resources and technologies, and outcomes of marine management approaches. The visit reinforced the Presidency’s understanding of the technologies and research behind climate change mitigation.

While in Sydney, Mukhtar Babayev met with Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia to discuss the importance of climate finance to keeping 1.5C within reach. He further held a meeting with Dr. Mike Freelander MP, Chair of the Australia-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Network, to discuss key areas of collaboration and strengthen their partnership ahead of the conference. Minister Babayev concluded his visit with a meeting with Hon. Benjamin Cameron Franklin, President of the New South Wales Legislative Council, to enhance ambition and further strengthen the nations’ partnership.

These engagements have laid a solid foundation for robust partnerships for climate action, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable nations are heard, and their resilience fortified in the global fight against climate change.