ROLAND KOBIA: WE DO NOT IMPOSE PARTNERSHIP, WE OFFER IT

A gas tanker exploded at a petrol station in the centre of Grozny on Saturday evening. According to preliminary data, four people were killed.

On 10 and 11 October, Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra attended the last ministerial meeting before COP29. With just a month to go until the COP29 in Baku, it was an important occasion to address topics like climate finance, international carbon markets and Article 6, adaptation, mitigation, transparent reporting and the follow-up of the COP28 commitment to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

In a case that is disappointing but not surprising, the agreement between the government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for hosting the climate conference COP29, is replete with significant shortcomings and ambiguities on the protections for participants’ rights. Human Rights Watch has obtained a copy of this host country agreement, signed in August 2024, which has yet to be made public.

On October 12, a video conference meeting was held at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense with the participation of military leadership, commanders of the branches of the armed forces, and leaders of major military units. Minister of Defense Zakir Hasanov, recalling statements by President Ilham Aliyev, emphasized that the main goal of the army is to enhance military power and combat capabilities, as well as to prepare professional personnel.