From Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Congratulations on this 11st Meeting of the Baku Global Forum.

This forum comes at an important time. Baku hosts COP29 in November, where the eyes of the world will be on Azerbaijan as never before. I know you will rise to the challenge and deliver an excellent event with typical hospitality.

The Global Stocktake at COP28 in Dubai demonstrated the need for urgent action. This year, attention will be on Azerbaijan to turn the ambitious commitments we agreed into action. Together we must drive forward energy transitions and reduce global emissions, by phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating the phase out of unabated coal power. We must also continue to improve climate resilience for vulnerable countries. As a fellow producer of oil and gas, the UK unsterstands the need to chart the course for a just energy transition that secures the future of our people and our planet, respecting the Paris commitment to limiting global warning to 1.5 degrees.

There will be an intense focus on finance at COP29. We need to deliver an ambitious outcome on the New Collective Quantified Goal that incorporates wider sources of finance in order to move from billions to the trillions needed for climate action. The UK would welcome Azerbaijan`s coordination with the UAE and Brazil to ensure that each COP continues to increase ambition on the previous summit. We stand ready to support Azerbaijan in its preparations, sharing our own experience of hosting COP26 in Glasgow.

Azerbaijan lies on the trade routes for goods valued worldwide. The UK will continue to support the opening of new connections, across the Caspian to Central Asia and across Türkiye and the Black Sea into Europe. At this 11th Baku Global Forum, your guests might reflect on the common principles and values which protect our shared security and prosperity – principles and values under assault from many sides today, enshrined in the UN Charter.

Azerbaijan stands at the crossroads of its future. At this moment, you have an historic opportunity to end decades of conflict with Armenia. The world welcomed your joint statement in December: it would be even more powerful to come to Baku this November with a peace agreement signed and secured and the countries of the South Caucasus committed to tackling together the shared challenges of climate and energy, water, and food security.

We do not take for granted that such opportunities will remain open or come again. Some would rather draw the world back into armed conflict and competition instead of hard-won peace and collaboration that respects the interest of all. As the world moves through this volatile and uncertain phase, we look to Azerbaijan to seize an opportunity that can secure stability and certainty.

Relations between the UK and Azerbaijan continue to grow deeper and broader, in support of our shared interests in mutual prosperity and security. At the end of 2024, the UK will be there to support you in making COP a success in Baku. I hope by then you will have achieved lasting peace with Armenia, and we can welcome a new era for partnership and cooperation between our two countries. I wish you all productive discussions.

Your sincerely,

Rishi Sunak

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland