Azerbaijani President Defends Oil Industry at COP29

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan criticized Western nations at COP29 for what he called a campaign against his country's oil and gas sector, highlighting the challenge of fossil fuel dependency in climate talks. Aliyev emphasized the economic importance of oil for Azerbaijan, while U.N. officials stressed urgent climate action.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took a defiant stance at the COP29 climate summit, condemning Western nations for their criticism of his country's oil and gas industry. During the summit's second day, he accused foreign critics of engaging in slander and blackmail against Azerbaijan's energy sector.

The remarks highlighted a central tension at the summit: the imbalance between nations reliant on fossil fuels and those advocating for a green transition. Despite Azerbaijan's plan to reduce oil and gas economic dependency, Aliyev insisted on the necessity of these resources for global markets.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres countered, urging nations to prioritize climate finance to avert ecological disasters. As COP29 unfolded, it faced procedural challenges and absences of key leaders, underlining the difficulty of global consensus on decarbonization strategies.

(With inputs from agencies.)