Remarks by H.E. Mr. Tofig F. Musayev

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations

at the Briefing by the COP31 President-Designate

UNHQ, Trusteeship Council Chamber, 27 March 2026

At the outset, I would like to extend our warm welcome to the COP31 President-designate, H.E. Mr. Murat Kurum, and thank the Government of Türkiye for convening this timely briefing. We also welcome H.E. Mr. Chris Bowen’s remarks and the important engagement of Pacific countries in shaping this year’s COP process.

COP29 in Baku took place against a complex global backdrop. Yet, through collective resolve, Parties delivered significant outcomes that reinforced trust in multilateralism and advanced implementation. Under the Baku Climate Unity Pact, key breakthroughs were achieved across all pillars, from long-awaited progress on operationalizing high-integrity carbon to agreement on a new collective climate finance goal for the first time in the history of the UNFCCC and making the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage fully operational.

As the COP29 Presidency, Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the Troika approach, particularly as COP31 will help shape the pathway towards the second Global Stocktake in 2028. Hence, we will continue working closely with the COP30 and COP31 Presidencies to continue high-level engagement throughout the year.

Building on the experience of the previous two COP cycles, Azerbaijan will host the Shamakhi Climate Retreat at the Head of Delegation level to provide an informal platform for negotiators to build trust and advance convergence in the lead-up to COP31. Similarly, Climate Week 2026 this September in Baku will further connect negotiations with implementation realities and enhance coordination.

At the same time, building on the emphasis at COP29 on the urban dimension of climate action, Azerbaijan, in close cooperation with UN-Habitat, will host the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) this May in Baku. WUF13 will advance sustainable urban development and strengthen the linkages between urban resilience and climate action, offering practical solutions to inform the COP process in November. This vision aligns closely with Türkiye’s Zero Waste initiative, reflecting a shared commitment to sustainable urbanization and resource efficiency, and we look forward to today’s high-level discussions.

Excellencies, as we transition towards COP31, we are confident that Türkiye and Australia will deliver an effective and action-oriented COP process. Azerbaijan fully supports their leadership and looks forward to working closely with all partners to ensure that the progress achieved in Baku and Belem is strengthened and translated into real outcomes in Antalya.