BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28. Azerbaijan plans to submit its fifth voluntary national review on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2027, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan, Samad Bashirli, said during the 9th Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Dialogue held in Baku on Wednesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
He noted that Azerbaijan and the United Nations (UN) have had partnership relations for more than 30 years. During this period, joint efforts have been undertaken to ensure sustainable development in the country and to strengthen the relevant institutional capacity.
According to the deputy minister, the SDG Dialogues are organized with the participation of representatives from the government, the UN system, international financial institutions, and the private sector. These platforms are of great importance for discussing priorities in the field of sustainable development and strengthening partnerships.
Bashirli remarked that Azerbaijan’s state programs and strategic documents have been aligned with the SDGs. Currently, alongside the implementation of the socio-economic development strategy for 2022–2026, work is underway to develop a new strategy covering the period from 2027 to 2030.
He emphasized that Azerbaijan has submitted four voluntary national reviews on the SDGs to date, making it one of the top five countries globally in terms of the number of such reports submitted.
"We are currently working on our fifth voluntary national review, which is scheduled for submission in 2027," the deputy minister explained.
Moreover, Bashirli highlighted that the localization of the SDGs at the regional level marks a new phase in Azerbaijan’s sustainable development agenda. According to him, Shusha and Nakhchivan have been selected for this initiative, and events have been organized in these regions to facilitate the implementation of relevant activities.
He pointed out that visits to these regions took place in March and April of this year, during which events dedicated to the localization of the SDGs were held at Garabagh University and Nakhchivan State University. The universities are actively participating in this process, and a corresponding roadmap has been developed.
The deputy minister also mentioned that a high-level strategic dialogue titled "Sustainable Development Goals Moment", focused on discussing the future partnership between Azerbaijan and the UN, was held in Khankendi a few days ago.
He further emphasized that combating climate change holds a prominent place on the international agenda. According to Bashirli, the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the decarbonization of the energy sector have gained particular urgency in the lead-up to COP31.
The deputy minister expressed confidence that Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the UN would continue to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, the expansion of regional initiatives, and the strengthening of international partnerships.
