Ecology minister: Azerbaijan appreciates UN support in achieving SDGs

Azerbaijan appreciates the support of the UN in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev said during the annual high-level strategic consultations between the government of Azerbaijan and the UN in Aghdam.

The minister stressed the fact that, apart from Azerbaijan, no country in the South Caucasus has yet acceded to the Water Convention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

“This Convention is the only existing platform within which the countries of the region can effectively cooperate, joining their efforts to solve transboundary water problems,” the minister said.

He added that since 2020, the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly informed the relevant international organizations, including the UNECE, the UN Environment Program and others, about the environmental hazard due to the pollution of the Okhchuchay transboundary river, as well as other regional rivers, by Armenia.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t receive concrete and meaningful answers regarding the solution of this problem and the prevention of pollution. This was a missed opportunity to address the problems of transboundary waters. But we still believe that we can change the current situation by working closely with UN agencies,” he added.