by Kate Abnett, Alexander Cornwell and Elizabeth Piper
DUBAI (Reuters) – Azerbaijan is tipped to host the 2024 United Nations climate summit, after reaching an agreement over its candidacy with long-time rival Armenia.
Diplomatic sources told Reuters that Azerbaijan’s bid appeared likely to win support from other nations at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai this week.
The designation of the next host country is in an unprecedented geopolitical impasse, with Russia having declared that it would veto any application by an EU country to host the summit, in a context marked by sanctions taken by Brussels against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Azerbaijan confirmed late Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Armenia which allows Baku to apply to host COP29 without the threat of an Armenian veto.
This choice must be supported by all the countries of the UN Eastern European regional group (EEG).
“We received special support from most countries (of the Eastern European group). Russia also supported our candidacy,” Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, said on Friday.
A representative of the Russian delegation to COP28 declined to comment.
The Russian Energy Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Diplomatic sources at COP28 in Dubai told Reuters that other Eastern European countries are expected to support Baku’s bid, although Moldova has also applied and Serbia is considering doing so. .
Diplomats are working to reach an agreement before the end of COP28, scheduled for December 12.
The possible choice of Azerbaijan, an oil and gas producing country and member of OPEC+, comes as some delegates to COP28 in Dubai have expressed concern about holding global climate negotiations in a producing country of oil for the second consecutive year, after the United Arab Emirates in 2023.
“I understand these concerns,” said Aykhan Hajizada.
“Although Azerbaijan is rich in oil and gas, its strategic objectives are the diversification of energy and resources, especially with regard to wind and solar energy,” he added.
(Reporting by Kate Abnett, Elizabeth Piper, Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; with contributions from Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow; French version Diana Mandiá, editing by Kate Entringer)
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