First General Assembly of Global South NGO Platform wraps up in Baku

The opening ceremony of the First General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform (GSNP) was held as part of the Baku Urban Week on May 14.

The event brought together representatives of NGOs from over 110 countries, spanning Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

First, a video highlighting the organization's one-year activity was screened.

Addressing the event, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said the Global South plays an important role in the international arena. “Azerbaijan considers itself a part of the Global South. We are a part of the Global South geographically, historically, culturally, and also in terms of destiny,” he noted.

Hikmet Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan fully and comprehensively understands all the challenges faced by the Global South countries, since Azerbaijan has itself experienced all these challenges and issues during the years of independence and throughout its history.

“I would particularly like to emphasize the elements of colonialism and neocolonialism, which the Global South countries have suffered throughout their history. It is a stain on humanity, and we regretfully note that this practice still continues globally, taking on new forms and manifestations. During Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019–2022, the fight against neocolonialism was one of the key priorities,” the Presidential Assistant emphasized.

Mukhtar Babayev, Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Climate Issues, said that today's meeting is not only an institutional milestone, but also a continuation of the spirit of solidarity, dialogue and cooperation that emerged during COP29 in Azerbaijan, in creating the Global South. “Simultaneously, it reflects Azerbaijan's ongoing commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation and creating inclusive international platforms for dialogue and practical action,” he added.

According to him, this platform is more than just a place for dialogue; it is a force for action. “The holding of the General Assembly in Baku today is a clear indication that this vision has become a reality,” Mukhtar Babayev emphasized.

Then, UN Secretary-General’s message was read out by Igor Garafulic, UN Resident Coordinator ad interim in Azerbaijan.

“As the United Nations, we hail Azerbaijan's ongoing efforts to promote multilateralism, international cooperation and inclusive participation at the global level,” the message said.

The message stated that the Global South NGO Platform plays the role of an important mechanism for global solidarity, dialogue, and partnership.

The message further highlighted the importance of fulfilling global commitments and leaving no one behind in promoting inclusive development, strengthening resilience, enhancing effective multilateralism and cooperation, especially in terms of supporting the Global South.

Other speakers at the event included Aygun Aliyeva, Executive Director of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organisations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, member of the WUF13 Organization Committee, Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, Luis Gallegos, President of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research, Mohamed Osman Mohamoud, Advisor to the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia and Founder/CEO of the “Sadar” Institute, Nidal Salim, founder of the Swiss Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

As part of the event, a framework document on the institutional structure and operational mechanisms of the Global South NGO Platform was adopted.

Afterwards, Azerbaijani representative Fuad Karimli has been elected Secretary-General of the GSNP. Consequently, an Azerbaijani NGO representative will chair the organization for the next five years.

Furthermore, Mithika Mwenda (Kenya) was elected Deputy Secretary-General for the Africa region, Bobur Bekmurodov (Uzbekistan) for the Asia region, Luis Gallegos (Ecuador) for the Latin America region, and Cecile Guidote-Alvarez (Philippines) for the Pacific region.

The General Assembly continued with panel sessions.

The panel session titled Global South: Alignment of Positions and Strategic Cooperation was moderated by Fuad Karimli, Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform.

In their remarks David Fernández Puyana, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE) to the UN Offices in Vienna and Geneva; Christian Mensah, former Secretary to the Governing Bodies and Chief of Inter-Governmental Relations at UN-Habitat; Rodrigo Labardini, former Ambassador of Mexico to Azerbaijan; and Peninah Aloo-Obudho, Vice-Chancellor of Maasai Mara University, described the General Assembly in Azerbaijan as a vivid example of how the UN system reflects the values and goals of the United Nations as the world’s leading multilateral body. They also stressed the importance of socio-economic equality in the Global South.

The event then featured a second panel highlighting the Baku Urban Forum.

At a panel moderated by Nadima Rahimli, Representatives of the Secretariat of the Global South NGO Platform, speakers discussed urbanization as a major global challenge, noting that over half of the world’s population already lives in cities and this is expected to rise above 70% within 20–30 years, highlighting the growing importance of sustainable urban policies. They also stressed that inclusive cities rely on interconnected systems and cannot exist without an inclusive economy.

In conclusion, the final declaration of the First General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform was adopted.