Hosts Of COP29 Urge Developed Countries To Help Mitigate Climate Crisis

UNSPLASH/Mika Baumeister ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, as the host of the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, urged developed countries of former colonialists in the past to help small archipelagic countries deal with the impact of climate change.

"I call on all developed countries, especially those with a past as invaders, to provide real financial and technical assistance to support small archipelagic countries so that they can protect their country from the impact of climate change," Aliyev said at the Small Island Leaders' Summit on Climate Change. in the context of COP29 in Baku reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, November 13.

Aliyev said hosting COP29 made Azerbaijan's network with small island countries develop closer.

He added that Azerbaijan has shown "real support" for these countries by distributing aid to a number of vulnerable countries to deal with the impact of disasters.

During the four years of Azerbaijan's leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement, said Aliyev, the country has also provided financial and humanitarian assistance to more than 80 countries.

Meanwhile, President Azerbaijan highlighted the link between neocolonialism and climate change, citing the territory across the sea (overseas terrorists) France and the Netherlands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean as the areas most affected by climate change.

"The rise of sea water, extreme weather, and the shrinking of biodiversity pose a critical threat in these areas. However, their voices are often brutally silenced by the central government," said Aliyev.

He then said that the process of decolonating French and New Caledonia areas in the Pacific Ocean had not yet been completed even though by the United Nations, the area was still recognized as a "non-self-governmental area" (non-self-governmental term).

"Between 1966 to 1996, the Frenchmen's region suffered a severe decline in environmental quality due to 193 nuclear tests conducted by France there. (This shows) France is responsible for severe contamination and radiation in the soil and water," President Aliyev said.

"If we add 17 nuclear tests by France while still occupying Algeria, we can see how the country's damage to the ecosystem on the planet is," he added.

Aliyev then highlighted the unrest in the opposite sea France, including the incident in New Caledonia that killed 13 people, having shown the "political efficacy" of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe's Parliament for not criticizing France's strong response.

He also alluded to the remarks of top EU official Josep Borrell in October 2022 who stated that Europe is a "mandate" while the rest of the world is a "forest".

"If we are 'forests', then cover us and don't interfere with our business," said President Azerbaijan.