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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Azerbaijani COP29 Presidency have hosted a two-day meeting from February 26-27at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi. The meeting focused on advancing joint action and building climate resilience in vulnerable countries, bringing together key stakeholders from climate-vulnerable nations, international organizations, climate funds, multilateral development banks, think tanks, and other relevant parties.

The event, titled “Strategy Meeting of the Network of Vulnerable Countries: Advancing Joint Action to Meet Urgent Challenges and Building Climate Resilience,” was built on the fundamentals of the UAE Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace (RRP), launched at COP28 in Dubai Expo City in 2023.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, reinforced the legacy of COP28 as the first COP to feature the topic as a dedicated day. The COP28’s Climate RRP has received endorsements from 94 countries and 43 organizations.

H.E. Balalaa added, “The UAE remains committed to working closely with all partners to ensure that the commitments we make today translate into action. Through the continued engagement of COP Presidencies, we have a unique opportunity to deliver results that will empower vulnerable communities, advance climate resilience, and promote lasting peace.”

H.E. Nickolay Mladenov, Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, welcomed the participants, emphasizing the nexus between diplomacy and climate action, especially the urgent need to build climate resilience through cooperation between different stakeholders, government, international organizations, and other stakeholders.

For his part, H.E. Yalchin Rafiyev, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan reaffirmed the COP29 Presidency’s commitment to bolstering international cooperation for the most vulnerable nations, highlighting the milestone Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery as a framework for the Network of Vulnerable Countries and the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub as key instruments for supporting this Network and delivering tangible solutions. The Baku Hub already receiving along with Co-leads wide international endorsement will drive concrete projects in partnership with Co-lead countries and other relevant stakeholders, setting the stage for the upcoming Forum of Vulnerable in Baku—aimed at launching pilot projects in climate vulnerable countries affected by conflicts and high humanitarian needs.”

H.E. Elshad Iskandarov, Ambassador and Senior Adviser toCOP29 Presidency, led the dialogue, building on the momentum of the COP29 “Network” of Climate Vulnerable Countries that was launched during the Peace, Relief, and Recovery (PRR) Day, held on November 15, 2024, in Azerbaijan. 

The Network seeks to address the critical need for climate finance in nations most affected by climate change with limited access to necessary funding, which was facilitated via the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub (Baku Hub).

These ongoing efforts highlight the strong collaboration between the COP28 UAE and COP29 Azerbaijan Presidencies, reinforcing the shared commitment outlined in the COP28 Declaration on Climate Relief, Recovery, and Peace.

Participants from different countries, including ministers, attended the meeting focusing on practical solutions to address the compounded impacts of conflict and climate change. The discussion centered on identifying key areas to develop actionable projects that can strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable countries. In this context, the meeting explored the creation of a provisional operational framework for the network, aimed at enhancing outreach to partners, improving needs assessments, and strategizing on project implementation to tackle the climate crisis.

The event was convened by the COP29 Presidency in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with ODI Global, and with support from the Baku Hub, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), and the Center for the Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center).