Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement ("NAM"), the largest international organization after the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, with 120 member states, 17 other countries, and 10 international organizations acting as observers, is set to conclude at the end of 2023. The presidency, which began in 2019 through the unanimous decision of NAM member countries, signified Azerbaijan's rapid emergence as a significant player in international relations. During its three-year presidency, Azerbaijan garnered unanimous appreciation from all member states for its noteworthy achievements. In recognition of these successes, the chairmanship was unanimously extended for an additional year until 2023, underscoring the impact and influence of Azerbaijan's leadership within the NAM.
The spokesman for the Secretary-General (SG) of the United Nations (UN), Stefan Dujarric, has shared insights with the US Bureau of "Report" regarding Azerbaijan's accomplishments during its NAM presidency. He addressed questions about the initiatives presented by Azerbaijan and highlighted the collaborative efforts between Azerbaijan and the UN during this period.
Dear Stefan Dujarric, Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship of the NAM during a critical time for all member states and as it nears the end of the chairmanship. During this period, the NAM played a leading role in global efforts against the pandemic. How do you assess Azerbaijan's role in the fight against the pandemic during its Chairmanship?
- First of all, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to address the people of Azerbaijan, and I want to thank you for all the coverage that you do here at the United Nations every day. I think it is important to salute Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). As you maintained, it was at a time of great difficulty during COVID, and during this chairmanship, the NAM took a leading role in the fight against COVID-19.
We are here in the General Assembly building, just a few meters away from where there was a special session on COVID-19 set up by the NAM at the behest of Azerbaijan, which really helped solidify global solidarity in the fight against COVID-19. I think one of the things we learned during COVID was that there was not enough solidarity between the north and the south and the east and the west. The NAM, through its membership and through its ideology and its beliefs, really showed that there could be global solidarity, and we know how much Azerbaijan itself contributed to the fight against COVID-19 financially.
-Under Azerbaijan's Chairmanship, significant steps were taken for the further institutional development of the NAM. Initiatives like the NAM Parliamentary Network, the NAM Youth Organization, and the proposed NAM Women Platform were undertaken. Could you please share SG's perspective on these developments?
- For the Secretary-General, this is a symbolism of the shared ideals between the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations. Those are ideals about the importance of multilateralism that no country can by itself face all the global challenges that we have, and it is only through this global solidarity, through this belief, in multilateralism that we are stronger as a world through the tools of multilateralism. NAM plays a hugely important role historically, it always has throughout the Cold War and it continues to be extremely valid today.
