Mikhail Gusman hails sessions at COP29 as milestone in Azerbaijan's climate efforts

On the 6th day of COP29, Mikhail Gusman, the First Deputy Director General of TASS, shared his insights in an exclusive interview with Azernews, commending Azerbaijan’s impressive organization of the landmark climate conference.

When asked about his general impressions of COP29, M. Gusman expressed admiration for the seamless execution of the event.

“First of all, I have to start with my congratulations to your organizers for this great event. I watched the preparation from the very beginning. I was at COP28 in Dubai and was very happy when all 200 countries chose Azerbaijan to host COP29. From that moment, I wondered how it would be possible, in just 11 months, to prepare Baku for such a huge event,” he said.

First Deputy Director General Gusman highlighted the scale of the conference, with 70,000 participants, numerous state leaders, and 4,000 media representatives, praising the infrastructure and planning.

“The Baku Olympic Stadium is the perfect venue for such an event. Participants, from heads of state to journalists, have the best conditions to do their work. This ensures the success of this conference,” he noted.

Turning to the broader impact of COP29, Mikhail Gusman emphasized the significance of its discussions and sessions. He stated confidently, “I am sure that COP29 will be remembered as one of the best COPs in history.”

Addressing the challenges and criticisms Azerbaijan faced ahead of the conference, including campaigns by some European countries, Gusman echoed sentiments expressed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“The campaign against COP29, against Azerbaijan, crashed. President Aliyev rightly pointed out that there was an organized effort against Azerbaijan, but what we see here is the great success of this conference. It is the best example of how such campaigns fail in the face of true achievements,” he remarked.

The First Deputy Director General of the TASS agency concluded by reiterating his admiration for Azerbaijan’s ability to overcome challenges and host a historic climate event.