The founding conference of the Global South NGO Platform will be held on April 28–29, 2025, at the Congress Center in Baku, APA reports.
On November 15, 2024, within the framework of COP29, an international conference themed “Advancing Climate Action Through Global South-South Cooperation – The Role of NGOs” was held for NGOs from the Non-Aligned Movement region.
At the conference, heads of leading NGOs from around the world especially emphasized Azerbaijan’s signing of important global initiatives during its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2023, which 120 countries joined, as well as its successful hosting of COP29, demonstrating the highest organizational capabilities in a short period of time.
At the end of the international conference, NGOs representing Non-Aligned Movement countries agreed on a joint statement on the role of NGOs in the development of climate action through South-South cooperation and declared it open for endorsement by all NGOs participating in COP29.
The statement expressed strong support for Azerbaijan, drew attention to its global role, and stated that the time has come to establish the Global South NGO Platform in support of the initiative of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum as a collaborative network to share best practices and promote sustainable development.
The statement, which was open to members of civil society represented at COP29, was signed by 1,023 NGO representatives and public activists from 137 countries.
For the first time in the history of Azerbaijani NGOs, civil society institutions from regions covering 71% of the world’s countries expressed support for the initiative of Azerbaijani NGOs.
The initiative of the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan, the flagship of Azerbaijani NGOs, regarding the establishment of the Global South NGO Platform also received international support in a statement issued by the COP29 NGO Coalition related to the “Baku turn,” which unites nearly 500 NGOs from over 100 countries.
The COP29 NGO Coalition raised the issue of institutionalizing the Global South NGO Platform.
As a logical result of the process launched during COP29, leading NGOs from the Global South will gather in Baku, organized by the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan, for the founding conference of the Global South NGO Platform.
During the prestigious two-day event, Global South NGOs will hold joint discussions for a new and fair world order, voice the difficulties and challenges they face, and deliver important messages.
Thus, Azerbaijan will once again play the role of a mediator, a bridge between the Global North and Global South.
This event will also be a significant milestone in the life of Azerbaijani civil society. Azerbaijani NGOs will establish new contacts with NGOs from Global South countries and further deepen cooperation.
Note that during its chairmanship of both the Non-Aligned Movement and COP29, Azerbaijan’s call for fair treatment and appropriate assistance to developing, least developed, and small island states threatened by submersion at all international platforms, as well as its exemplary performance in this area, has generated great sympathy for Azerbaijan in the Global
Source: Apa
