Founding Conference of Global South CSO Platform to be held in Baku today

The founding conference of the Global South NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Platform will be held in Baku today, with the participation of prominent NGO leaders and representatives of civil society from 116 countries, covering around 80% of the world’s population.

According to Report, the event is considered a landmark moment for the civil society of the Global South, which encompasses the regions of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania — two-thirds of the world's countries.

The initiative to create the Platform was first proposed by the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan in November 2024 during COP29. This initiative quickly gained international resonance. As a result, the COP29 CSO Coalition approached the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan with a proposal to establish this platform. It marks the first time an initiative from Azerbaijani CSOs has received such broad global support.

Azerbaijan's active engagement during its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, its significant initiatives in favor of a new and just world order, and the achievement of the so-called "Baku Breakthrough" at COP29 have earned great respect for the Azerbaijani state among Global South countries. This event is seen as a new beginning for Azerbaijan’s civil society.

The establishment of the Global South CSO Platform in Baku is yet another manifestation of Azerbaijan's role as a successful mediator and bridge between the Global North and Global South.

The Global South CSO Platform aims to actively promote the issues facing countries in this strategic region at the international level, advocate a unified position in international organizations, including the UN, and ensure global coordination. It will contribute to uniting efforts to combat injustices such as poverty, the consequences of climate change, colonial legacy, the digital divide, trade inequality, and other challenges. The Platform will also promote the South-South cooperation.

The founding conference of the Platform will be held today at the Baku Congress Center. As part of the two-day international conference titled "Solidarity in Action: Strengthening Global South NGOs for a New and Just World," representatives of leading NGOs will deliver speeches, global discussions will be organized, and the importance of the historic Bandung Principles — adopted 70 years ago in Indonesia — will be emphasized. These principles reject interference in the internal affairs of states and promote the establishment of a world order based on justice, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, ensuring equality of peoples, strengthening mutual interest, cooperation, and economic well-being.