Climate-vulnerable countries face broader challenges, official says

The challenges faced by climate-vulnerable developing countries are no longer limited only to climate change, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev said.

Report informs that he made the remarks during panel discussions held in Baku as part of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group.

"Many countries must simultaneously address development needs, institutional and capacity gaps, humanitarian pressures and growing demand for resilient public services. At COP29, Azerbaijan, together with its co-lead partners, put forward the Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery to ensure that the most vulnerable countries are not left behind," Rafiyev said.

He noted that one of the main outcomes of the initiative was the establishment of the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub, designed to support climate-vulnerable countries through practical partnerships, technical assistance, capacity building and project preparation support.

"The purpose of the Hub is simple: to help countries translate national priorities into investment-ready initiatives capable of attracting climate and development finance," he said.

The deputy minister said access to finance often depends not only on the availability of resources, but also on the institutional capacity and technical expertise required to prepare high-quality projects.

"A recent example of this approach is Guinea-Bissau. We have recently launched practical cooperation with the Government of Guinea-Bissau within the framework of the Baku Hub and expect to achieve concrete results through this partnership in the near future," Rafiyev said.

He noted that this example reflects the focus of the first panel, which will explore practical ways to improve access to climate and development finance through capacity building, institutional strengthening, technical assistance and partnerships.

According to him, financing alone is not enough.

"Investments in digital transformation and institutional capacity building can significantly improve service delivery, strengthen resilience and enhance governments' ability to respond to both development and humanitarian challenges. Countries need both access to finance and the institutional capacity to use that financing effectively," he said.

Rafiyev added that by strengthening these foundations together, it is possible to help achieve more resilient and long-term development outcomes.

"Azerbaijan remains committed to promoting practical cooperation, strengthening partnerships and supporting country-led solutions that reinforce resilience and sustainable development," he said.