### Azerbaijan's President Aliyev Sparks Controversy at COP29

BAKU, Azerbaijan - The opening of COP29 in Baku has not gone as expected. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan took the stage with a sharp critique of Western powers, accusing them of hypocrisy. His speech further targeted France and the Netherlands, alleging colonial repression, leading to diplomatic strain as France's top climate official promptly canceled her visit.

Aliyev's comments, seen as unusually direct for a United Nations climate conference, have stirred concern among senior diplomats. Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs chief, labeled the president's statements as detrimental to the conference's climate objectives and the credibility of Azerbaijan's presidency.

The controversy continued when Aliyev addressed island leaders, pointing out the threat of climate change to territories like Mayotte and Curaçao, and accusing European countries of brutally suppressing these communities' voices. This provoked irate responses from France and the Netherlands. French Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher, slated to represent France at COP29, withdrew her attendance, accusing Azerbaijan of using the climate fight for personal agendas. EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra supported the French stance.

Aliyev's incendiary opening speech also included praise for fossil fuels, calling them a "gift of the God," and indicated that Azerbaijan aimed to secure gas deals during the summit. Domestically, Aliyev is known for his repressive regime, which has been in power for over two decades, but his colonialism critique received applause from island leaders.

In response to the escalating tensions, Azerbaijan's lead negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev refrained from commenting on Aliyev's speech, merely stating it was "very clear." Despite the French minister's cancellation, Rafiyev assured that Azerbaijan remains committed to an inclusive negotiation process.

Skepticism about Azerbaijan's ability to effectively host COP29 existed even before these events, with concerns amplified by the short preparation time due to delays in selecting a host following the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This backdrop has raised doubts about whether Azerbaijan's negotiators have adequate government support to guide nearly 200 countries to an agreement.

A central goal for COP29 is to establish a new long-term climate finance target, replacing the current $100 billion per year target from 1992. This negotiation remains challenging, with developing countries seeking a substantial increase in funding and developed countries insisting on contributions from wealthy emerging economies.

The standing draft of the agreement, still extensive at over 30 pages, reflects the difficulty of reaching consensus. EU delegation head Jake Werksman expressed significant concern about the progress. However, Werksman also maintained that COP29 should remain a forum for inclusive climate action negotiations, encouraging Azerbaijan to uphold its facilitative role through the end of the summit.