Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Great Britain, Elin Suleymanov, was a guest on John Pienaar’s live program on "Times" radio, where he addressed key issues surrounding COP29, Azernews reports.
The program opened with a quote from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who stated at the 11th Global Baku Forum:
"Holding COP29 in Azerbaijan is an acceptance of Azerbaijan's efforts regarding the green transition. As I have said many times in public statements, it is not our fault that we have oil and gas wealth and we should not be criticized for it."
In response to the journalist’s questions, Suleymanov stressed the importance of COP29 as a "Financial COP" aimed at achieving the New Collective Quantitative Goal—financial targets critical to combating climate change. He added, "Mobilizing resources to fight climate change is essential, otherwise it will remain just a debate."
When asked about allegations that Azerbaijan is using the event to boost its reputation, Suleymanov responded, "Critics of Azerbaijan do not understand that the issues discussed at COP are issues of concern to all mankind. Azerbaijan is the leading country in the region in the field of transition to green energy."
He further underscored Azerbaijan’s leadership in renewable energy, noting, "Azerbaijan started the transition process to green energy before COP29... Why don't we talk about climate action and the transition to green energy because some people are criticizing Azerbaijan now?!"