Baku: Azerbaijan considers itself an integral part of the Global South, according to Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration. Hajiyev made these remarks during the First General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform, which was part of the Baku Urban Week.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Hajiyev stressed that Azerbaijan shares geographical, historical, and cultural ties with the Global South. He highlighted Azerbaijan’s comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by Global South countries, drawing from its own experiences throughout its history and during its years of independence.
Hajiyev pointed out the ongoing issues of colonialism and neocolonialism, which have historically affected Global South countries. He described these as a stain on humanity and noted that such practices continue to evolve globally. During Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement from 2019 to 2022, combating neocolonialism was a key priority, as emphasized by Hajiyev.