Interim Government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus Meets with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev

Interim Government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus held a meeting with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday morning, local time, on the sidelines of the COP-29 Climate Summit in Baku. The two leaders discussed bilateral matters of mutual interest during their talks.

Dr. Yunus' Deputy Press Secretary, Apurob Jahangir, confirmed that the discussions centered on strengthening ties and exploring areas of collaboration between the two nations.

Earlier on Wednesday, Dr. Yunus attended a high-level meeting of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This closed-door meeting was attended by leaders from five key climate-vulnerable LDCs: Nepal, Malawi, Gambia, Liberia, and Bangladesh.

During the meeting, Dr. Yunus emphasized the need for a new economic framework that would be beneficial to both the planet and its people. He also expressed his support for the United Nations-backed "Summit for the Future," aimed at building an economic system that prioritizes the well-being of the world’s youth.

Dr. Yunus remarked, “We have created an economic system based on consumption, consumption, and more consumption. It only generates waste. We must create a world with zero waste.” He further pointed out that the COP climate conferences should not be held annually, advocating for long-term, country-specific strategies instead. According to him, annual meetings are time-consuming, wasteful, and disrespectful.

Calling for a fresh perspective in global climate discussions, Dr. Yunus stated that the current approach has failed to meet the majority of the world’s needs and emphasized the importance of a new approach to address climate challenges effectively.