No:458/24, Press release on the meeting of Minister Jeyhun Bayramov with Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe of the World Health Organization
19 November 2024 18:07
On 19 November 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO), who is on a visit to our country within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
At the meeting, Azerbaijan–WHO cooperation, as well as our country’s COP29 Presidency were discussed.
It was stressed that our country closely cooperates with WHO, and that joint activities carried out particularly in the direction of taking measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic are commendable.
The importance of our country’s initiatives during the pandemic period in terms of strengthening international efforts in the field of combating the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting developing countries, particularly ensuring access to vaccines, was noted. In this direction, the adoption of the resolution titled “Ensuring equitable, affordable, timely and universal access for all countries to vaccines in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic” at the initiative of Azerbaijan as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement was particularly emphasized.
The importance of continuing cooperation within the framework of international organizations in the field of medicine and health hereafter, particularly mutual relations and exchange of experience between medical universities, was noted.
Joint projects implemented by Azerbaijan and WHO, particularly the importance of initiatives aimed at supporting the provision of mental health services in the liberated territories in the post-conflict period, were discussed. Along with this, the role of healthcare in the field of combating the mine threat during the post-conflict rehabilitation period and the importance of cooperation in this direction were emphasized.
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also provided detailed information on our country’s COP29 Presidency, the negotiations conducted and the achievements obtained. The approval of the agenda of the session on the first day of COP29, agreement on Articles 6.4 and 6.8 of the Paris Agreement, the increase by financial institutions of the annual climate finance commitment from 75 billion to 170 billion US dollars, as well as important decisions adopted regarding the full readiness of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage for operation were particularly emphasized.
Taking into account the existing organic link between climate change and health topics, it was highlighted that we are ready for cooperation with WHO in this direction within the framework of our Presidency.
During the meeting, an exchange of views was also conducted on other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
