Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan and President of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). They discussed ways to enhance cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan to ensure the success of COP29, which Azerbaijan will host in the capital Baku in November 2024.

During the Meeting, held today, Wednesday, May 1st, 2024, in Baku, on the sidelines of the 6th edition of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, organized by ICESCO in collaboration with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture and several international organizations, both sides expressed their commitment to contribute to the excellence of COP29, which is of great importance in light of the world’s climate changes that require intensified international efforts to develop strategies to address the risks threatening natural resources and food security.

ICESCO DG emphasized the importance of youth participation in this major international event, explaining that the Organization can collaborate to ensure greater attendance of Islamic world countries at COP29, as well as representatives of ICESCO’s partner bodies and institutions worldwide, to enrich the Conference’s discussions and scientific sessions.

The Meeting also discussed ICESCO’s participation in the Conference and the provision of a special pavilion for the Organization in the blue zone, reserved for accredited participants, world leaders, media, and observers, to contribute to enhancing ICESCO’s presence and promoting its environmental work.

The Azerbaijani minister, for his part, affirmed his country’s keenness, as well as that of the authorities responsible for COP29, to facilitate all logistical and technical procedures for ICESCO’s participation in this event.

At the closing of the meeting, it was agreed to continue coordinating between the two teams formed at ICESCO and the ministry to follow up on the arrangements for participation in COP29 and the activities to be implemented by the Organization at the Conference.

Attending the Meeting from ICESCO’s side were Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Hesham El-Askary, Advisor to the DG.