Baku, May 19, AZERTAC
On May 19, the Board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum (ANF) held a press conference to publicly report on its one-year performance.
According to AZERTAC, Ramil Iskandarli, the Chairman of the Board, stated that the General Assembly of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum held on May 15 last year opened an entirely new chapter in the Forum’s history and marked a qualitative transformation. “We must admit that the Forum, despite its strong traditions and historical significance, had significantly weakened and reached a state of paralysis. The stagnation and decline in the Forum’s operations were brought to an end, the previous composition was dissolved, and its structure was abolished. A new and flexible management system was established. The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum has resumed its role as the umbrella organization of the country’s NGOs and has become a generator of civil society ideas. Today, we can confidently say that the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum is a well-known and respected organization on the international stage. This is a success story and the result of the collective efforts of Azerbaijani NGOs united under the Forum,” he said.
It was highlighted that 116 countries from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) region supported the ANF’s call to establish the Global South NGOs Platform, and the Platform was formally founded in Baku on April 28, 2025, with the participation of leading NGOs from each of these countries. This is the first unified network for NGOs in the NAM region, and its initiator is the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum. Recognizing the Forum’s consistent and systematic efforts in building this platform, it was unanimously decided by 116 countries that the Chairman of ANF’s Board, Ramil Iskandarli, would serve as the interim Secretary-General of the Platform until its first General Assembly next year. Regardless of which country leads the Platform in the future, its permanent headquarters will be located in Baku.
Ramil Iskandarli noted, “It is a great honor that President Ilham Aliyev addressed a letter to the participants of the Platform’s founding conference and highly praised the activities of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum in that letter.”
Zaur Ibrahimli, a Board Member of the ANF, emphasized that the Global South NGOs Platform has full legitimacy to be considered the NGO network of the Non-Aligned Movement. “The spirit of this Platform aligns perfectly with the historic ‘Bandung Principles’ adopted in Indonesia 70 years ago. These principles reject interference in internal affairs, advocate for a peaceful and just world order, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and equality among nations, while calling for cooperation and economic development. These themes were repeatedly stressed during global discussions held in Baku. The unanimous appointment of ANF’s chairman as interim Secretary-General, marked by standing ovations from representatives of 116 countries, underscores Azerbaijan’s growing role as a global moderator and leader.”
He added that Azerbaijan’s NGO sector has moved beyond local and fragmented external initiatives to a stage of launching global initiatives and creating formats of international cooperation: “The sector is now capable of supporting state policy on foreign affairs and has reached a new level of maturity. This proves that one of the main goals—aligning NGO development policy with national priorities—has been achieved. Every Azerbaijani can be proud of the success of the NGO development policy led and supported by the head of state.”
It was also noted that two out of five members of the ANF Board were elected to the National Assembly in the most recent parliamentary elections.
Board member and MP Parvana Valiyeva stated that Azerbaijani NGOs are now operating in a new environment with a healthy climate and significant opportunities. “We feel the state’s support everywhere. For the first time, NGO representatives were included in the COP29 Organizing Committee last year. Azerbaijani NGOs demonstrated real dedication in contributing to the COP29 process. Numerous meetings, interactions, and events were held effectively.”
It was emphasized that the Global South NGOs Platform is a lasting legacy of COP29. The COP29 NGO Coalition, uniting nearly 500 NGOs from over 100 countries at Azerbaijan’s initiative, strengthened NGO engagement in climate diplomacy and environmental advocacy, establishing new practices for COP events. The success of Azerbaijan’s initiatives highlighted the need for global multilateral cooperation formats in the face of new challenges.
Parvana Valiyeva also praised the recent specialization of Azerbaijani NGOs: “The ‘Environmental Protection First’ Coalition unites NGOs fighting against the environmental impacts of Armenia’s mining industry. This coalition developed a professional printed and digital map in English, Azerbaijani, and Armenian, exposing Armenia’s environmental crimes. These maps triggered strong international reactions and were distributed at the UN Civil Society Forum in Kenya (May 2024), the ‘Summit of the Future’ in New York (September), and during COP29 in Baku (November). The issue was also raised at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva (March 2025).”
She noted that NGOs have been very active and successful in work related to Western Azerbaijan as well.
MP and Board Member Azer Allahveranov stated that the achievements of Azerbaijani NGOs on the global stage and in international cooperation were also the result of the dedication and hard work of state institutions responsible for NGO development policy. “At the foundation of all this lies President Ilham Aliyev’s NGO development strategy. We have witnessed his conceptual vision for civil society in his inaugural speech, his address to the new parliament, and interviews with local media. That is why today, Azerbaijani NGOs are contributing to the national process with many new initiatives. We are pleased that their opinions and proposals are being taken into account.”
He also noted that the ANF is committed to the revitalization of Public Councils: “We regularly hold meetings with Public Councils attached to various bodies and foster bridges between them. Since 2024, Public Councils have become composed of profile-specific organizations relevant to their domains—once a dream, now a reality. We have also seen a sharp decline in negative phenomena related to Public Councils in this new environment.”
Board member Khatira Valiyeva shared that new membership certificates were being issued to Forum member organizations: “We reviewed the previous membership lists and found numerous errors. The Board decided to compile a new list of members. The process is ongoing. Member organizations now have unlimited and free access to the Forum’s conference halls. Today, the Forum’s office functions as the ‘NGO House,’ a vibrant center where numerous events and meetings are held. In just the first quarter of this year, over 60 events were organized at the office—twice the total number of events held there throughout 2024. Nearly 100 organizations have already received their new membership certificates, and applications are reviewed at Board meetings. By the end of this year, all members will be issued new certificates in stages.”
It was also mentioned that the ANF is actively preparing for the World Urban Forum to be held in Baku in 2026. On March 12, 2025, the “WUF13 NGO Coalition” was established at the initiative of the Forum. The founding conference, held in hybrid format, included 25 foreign NGOs from 18 countries. The ANF represents the Azerbaijani side in the Coalition as the flagship of national NGOs. The Coalition continues to grow, receiving numerous applications from foreign NGOs wishing to join. It maintains hybrid-format meetings.
The ANF is also working on improving legislation related to NGOs and organizing public consultations. Soon, all proposals will be systematized and submitted to the relevant government bodies.
In conclusion, the Board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum stated that its one-year activity marks the beginning of a significant new phase for the Forum, and emphasized their commitment to continuing to contribute to the development of civil society both domestically and internationally.
