Between COP29, geopolitics and repression: What role do values play in our Azerbaijan policy?

As the host country of COP29, Azerbaijan is investing heavily in its international image. It appeals to a Western audience with a ‘green’ discourse and uses decolonial rhetoric towards the Global South. The COP29 presidency claims that it is working to ‘ensure that all voices are heard and all perspectives are considered and included’. At the same time, however, Azerbaijan is cracking down on its own civil society. The presidential and parliamentary elections in February and September 2024 were heavily rigged and merely confirmed Azerbaijan's autocratic system of government.

Although there has been some progress in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process, the Azerbaijani government's persistently aggressive rhetoric towards Armenia casts doubt on whether it is really interested in peace. And Azerbaijan's energy and climate policy is still not sustainable, even in the run-up to COP29.

Although Western governments regularly express their concerns, their policy towards Azerbaijan remains co-operative.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Azerbaijan and the EU have even improved their mutual relations, particularly in the energy sector. Two major infrastructure projects in which Azerbaijan plays a central role - the Middle Corridor and the undersea cable in the Black Sea - are on everyone's lips, although there are doubts about their feasibility and profitability.

In this event, analysed the relations between Germany, the EU and Azerbaijan and discussed German and EU instruments as well as conflicting objectives with regard to Baku.

- How can Azerbaijan's domestic and foreign policy be described in the run-up to COP29? What are the domestic and foreign policy goals of the Azerbaijani government?
- How has Azerbaijan prepared for COP29 so far and what results can we expect from the climate conference?
- Is real participation in COP29 even possible for international and Azerbaijani civil society? If not, what conclusions should be drawn from this for cooperation with Azerbaijan and the COP process in general?
- What interests are Germany and the EU pursuing in Azerbaijan and how can they be reconciled with the values that Berlin and Brussels want to promote - in the context of COP29 and beyond?

These and other questions were discussed with:
- Merle Spellerberg, Member of the Bundestag, Alliance 90/The Greens
- Katrin Henneberger, Member of the Bundestag, Alliance 90/The Greens
- Arzu Geybulla, journalist from Azerbaijan
- Anika Schroeder, Misereor/Climate Alliance Germany
- Stefan Meister, Head of the Centre for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia, DGAP

Moderation: Sonja Schiffers, Head of Office, Heinrich Böll Foundation Tbilisi - South Caucasus Region