Umayra Taghiyeva Deputy minister of ecology and natural resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan./HANDOUT
Azerbaijan and Kenya have reaffirmed their growing cooperation on environmental protection, climate action, and sustainable urban development.
The deal follows the successful conclusion of the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), with renewed focus on the upcoming 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13).
The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Nairobi on Friday hosted a reception in honour of Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Environment, Ms. Umaira Taghiyeva, and the country’s Ambassador to Kenya.
Taghiyeva also serves as Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat.
The event brought together members of the Kenyan media, the diplomatic community, and key sustainability and development stakeholders.
The reception provided an opportunity to underscore Azerbaijan’s commitment to advancing shared global environmental priorities, including climate resilience, natural resource management, renewable energy, water management, environmental innovation, and sustainable urban development.
It also served as a platform to reflect on outcomes from UNEA-7 and to strengthen bilateral and multilateral collaboration with Kenya.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Taghiyeva highlighted Azerbaijan’s active participation at UNEA-7 and reaffirmed her country’s dedication to collaborative, multistakeholder solutions to address pressing global environmental challenges.
She emphasized that issues such as climate change, ecosystem protection, and sustainable use of natural resources require collective action and strong international partnerships, particularly between countries of the Global South.
Discussions during the reception also looked ahead to the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku from May 17 to 22, 2026.
Co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), WUF13 is expected to convene global leaders, policymakers, urban planners, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and youth.
The forum will focus on sustainable urbanization under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.”
Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Ambassador Sultan Hajiyev, noted that Azerbaijan’s hosting of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in November 2024, its active role at UNEA-7, and its upcoming hosting of WUF13, alongside World Environment Day celebrations in 2026, collectively reflect the country’s strong commitment and evolving role in shaping the global agenda on environmental protection, climate action, and sustainable urban futures.
He added that these global platforms resonate strongly with Kenya’s own development and environmental priorities, particularly in areas such as sustainable cities, climate resilience, and inclusive urban planning.
Ambassador Hajiyev emphasized that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kenya offers valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and practical collaboration in advancing sustainable development goals.
The engagement marked another step in strengthening Azerbaijan–Kenya relations, highlighting shared interests in environmental stewardship and sustainable urban development as both countries continue to play active roles in global environmental and urban governance.
