MFA: Positive dynamics observed in Azerbaijan-UN relations in 2024

In 2024, as in previous years, the Republic of Azerbaijan contributed to maintaining peace, security, and sustainable development globally, as well as multilateral cooperation within international organizations in this context, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a press release on the outcomes of 2024.

"Positive dynamics in Azerbaijan-UN relations were observed, mutual visits took place. In this regard, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid visits to Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29," the press release says, according to Report.

The document notes that Azerbaijan has successfully chaired the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for the past 4 years and handed over the chairmanship of the Movement to Uganda at the 19th Summit of the NAM Heads of State and Government held in Kampala, Uganda, on 19-20 January.

"As a result of Azerbaijan’s initiative and efforts, South Sudan, the only non-member country from the African continent, joined the Movement. Throughout the year, Azerbaijan remained active in the Movement as a member of the Chairmanship Troika (alongside Uganda and Uzbekistan)," it says.

According to the press release, Azerbaijan has attached particular importance to strategic cooperation within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). On 6 June in Shusha, within the framework of an Informal Summit of the OTS under the theme of “Building a Sustainable Future through Transport, Connectivity and Climate Action,” the Garabagh Declaration was adopted, support was expressed for mine action and humanitarian demining for the return of internally displaced persons of Azerbaijan to their homeland. In July of this year, an opening ceremony was held on the occasion of declaring the city of Lankaran as the Youth Capital of the Turkic World in 2024.

"During the year, Memorandums of Understanding were signed between Member States of the OTS on digital economic cooperation, Turkic Green Vision, and the establishment of the Turkic Green Finance Council, and a decision was made to hold the 12th Summit of the Organization in Azerbaijan in 2025," the document says.

According to it, on 3 December, at the 28th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in Mashhad (Iran), the Mashhad Declaration was adopted, and gratitude was expressed to Azerbaijan for the decision to hold the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Azerbaijan in 2025.

"On 15 November, the Clean Energy Center (CECECO) was opened in Baku together with the Economic Cooperation Organization and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). In 2024, Azerbaijan hosted the 1st ECO Tour Operators Forum (2-3 May) and the 3rd ECO Think Tanks Forum (4 October).
Azerbaijan in 2024, within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), also continued to contribute to strengthening cooperation between the Member States. At the 15th Islamic Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the OIC, held on 4-5 May in the capital of the Republic of Gambia, Banjul, for the first time, support was expressed for the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from the territories of present-day Armenia during the past conflict, as well as holding of the 16th Summit of the OIC in 2026 in Azerbaijan was confirmed," the ministry noted.

According to the document, at the 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, held on 29-30 August in the capital of the Republic of Cameroon, Yaoundé, resolutions titled “Elimination of the Consequences of the Aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan,” “Solidarity with the Victims of the Khojaly Massacre of 1992,” “Economic assistance to the Republic of Azerbaijan” and “Elimination of destruction and desecration of Islamic historical and cultural relics and shrines resulting from the aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan” were adopted.

"In March of this year, by decision of the Council of Ministers of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the handover of chairmanship to the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2024-2026 was approved. On 17 December, during an online meeting of the Council of Ministers of CICA, the chairmanship to the CICA was officially handed over to Azerbaijan. The chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be carried out under the theme of “Stronger CICA – Connectivity, Digitalization, and Sustainable Growth in Asia”, and in 2026 the Summit of Member States of the CICA will be organized in our country," the press release says.

It is noted in the document that at the 11th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization of Eight Developing Countries (D-8), which took place on 19 December 2024 in the capital of Egypt, Cairo, the Republic of Azerbaijan was unanimously elected as a member of the D-8 Organization.

"Our country’s accession to the membership of this Organization, which is the first expansion since the Organization’s foundation in 1996, is a vivid example of the growing reputation and geopolitical position of Azerbaijan. By prioritizing justice and the norms and principles of international law as its goals, our country will make a significant contribution to preserving the fundamental principles of the Organization and further deepening cooperation within the Organization," it says.

Azerbaijan in 2024, as the chairman of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM), attended events at the national and regional levels in the field of transport, trade, customs, energy, tourism, landmine threat, reconstruction and reintegration in the post-conflict period and other important areas.

"In 2024, the Republic of Azerbaijan, within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), continued cooperation with Member States in various areas, particularly in the fields of culture, humanitarian, scientific, and other areas. On 8 October, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS, held in Moscow. At the meeting, the city of Lachin was declared as the CIS cultural capital in 2025. On 12 December, Prime Minister Ali Asadov attended the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS. The delegation led by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov took part in the meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS, held on 11-12 April in Minsk, as well as on 7 October in Moscow. At a meeting in Minsk, a decision was made to declare the city of Ganja as the CIS Sports Capital in 2025," the document says.

It further notes that the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the Summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana on 3-4 July, and the BRICS Plus/Outreach meeting of the BRICS Summit on 23 October.

"Activities on multilateral and bilateral cooperation on military-political issues continued throughout the year. While maintaining the importance of the Azerbaijan-NATO partnership, political dialogue and practical cooperation continued between the parties, and mutual visits were carried out. The 2024 also marked the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s accession to the Partnership for Peace, and a number of events were organized," the press release says.

It notes that considering the importance that Azerbaijan attaches to international cooperation in the field of the use of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes, the Country Programme Framework (CPF) for 2024-2029 was signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency. This document is an important contribution to the promotion of practical cooperation of our country in priority areas in the field of nuclear energy use.

"Azerbaijan made a financial contribution to the Center for Chemical Technologies established under the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to promote the use of the chemical industry of the for peaceful purposes.

During the year, activities were continued to promote the candidacy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for elected positions of international organizations. Azerbaijan was elected as a member of UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2025-2027 and as a member of UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) for 2025-2028, as the Chair of the Central and Eastern European Regional Group and a member of the Bureau for the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) and as the Vice President of Black Sea Trade and Development Bank for 2025-2026," the press release says.