As many as 1,023 NGO representatives and public activists from 137 countries represented at COP29 have joined the declaration on establishing the Global South NGO Platform, initiated by the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum.
According to Report, the initiative to create the platform was proposed at an international conference on South-South cooperation of NGOs from Non-Aligned Movement countries, organized by the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum in Baku within the COP29 framework.
After the international conference, NGOs representing Non-Aligned Movement countries agreed on a joint declaration text regarding the role of NGOs in developing climate action through South-South cooperation and announced it open for all NGOs participating in COP29 to join.
The declaration expressed strong support for Azerbaijan, highlighted its global role, and praised Azerbaijan's COP Truce Call aimed at stopping wars during climate negotiations to promote peace and collective global action within the COP29 framework.
The document invites world states to prioritize humanitarian aspects of climate change, including protection of vulnerable communities, social justice, and resilience against ecological crises, and to align their actions with the spirit of the COP Truce Call.
The declaration emphasizes NGOs' crucial role in climate resilience and solving humanitarian problems, promoting inclusive policies aligned with Sustainable Development Goals, and expresses the necessity of expanding cooperation between governments, financial institutions, and NGOs to support climate financing and local initiatives.
NGOs are called upon to strengthen their roles globally in promoting climate action through South-South cooperation, particularly in supporting regional climate issues and community-based solutions partnerships.
The declaration states that the time has come to establish the Global South NGO Platform as a climate action cooperation network to share best practices and promote sustainable development, supporting the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum's initiative.
This is the first time in Azerbaijan's NGO history that civil society institutions from regions covering 71% of world countries have expressed support for an initiative by Azerbaijani NGOs.