MFA official: Over 60 countries join Azerbaijan's sustainable cities initiative

More than 60 countries have joined Azerbaijan's sustainable cities initiative, Elmar Mammadov, Head of the Economic Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during the third day of Baku Climate Action Week 2025 (BCAW2025), Report informs.

According to Mammadov, the initiative titled "Multisectoral Actions: Pathways to Sustainable and Healthy Cities" has been one of the successful outcomes of Azerbaijan's COP29 Presidency. To date, over 200 partners-including approximately 60 countries and more than 100 cities-have joined and supported the initiative, he added.

"This initiative addresses critical global issues. Its novelty lies in covering areas previously overlooked by other global efforts-particularly the intersection of urban development and public health, as well as the strengthening of climate-urban finance, which is extremely important. It also introduces new elements of global coordination."

Mammadov emphasized that quality is just as important as quantity in climate-related urban financing: "Sometimes we observe duplication and competition among international organizations and actors at the global level. That's why we aim to enhance coordination not only globally but also regionally."

He added that Azerbaijan is implementing major projects in its liberated territories, including smart city, smart village, and green city initiatives: "For example, the White City project in Baku is a successful case of transforming a polluted area into a green urban space."