During his speech at the Leaders’ Summit of the Small Island Developing States on Climate Change, held on November 13 as part of COP29, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan emphasized the importance of supporting these countries on the global stage. “Since Azerbaijan became the host country of COP29, our relationship with small island developing states has been elevated to a new high level. The voices of small island developing states must be heard on a global stage,” Aliyev stated.
President Aliyev called on developed countries, especially those with a colonial past, to provide tangible financial and technical support to small island states. “Azerbaijan is demonstrating its unwavering support for small island states. We have provided assistance to a number of disaster-hit countries in mitigating the impact of hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods,” Aliyev emphasized.
Additionally, Aliyev spoke about Azerbaijan’s contributions in areas such as water supply, food security, and the restoration of cultural heritage. He noted that more than ten small island states have benefited from Azerbaijan’s educational grant program to study at universities in the country.
