Tokyo, 02 March, /AJMEDIA/
On March 2, the Summit-level Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to COVID-19 started in Baku.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is attending the Summit-level Meeting.
President Ilham Aliyev welcomed Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Aïmen Benabderrahmane, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Republic of Kenya Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Vice President of Tanzania Philip Isdor Mpango, Vice-President of the Republic of Cuba Salvador Antonio Valdés Mesa, member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Vice President of the Gabonese Republic Mrs. Rose Christiane Raponda, President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi, Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović, President of the Republic of Iraq Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, Head of the Presidency Council of Libya Mohamed Younis al-Menfi, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
They posed together for photographs.
Opening the event as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:
– Excellences, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.
I warmly welcome you all in Baku, Azerbaijan at the Summit-level Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to COVID-19. More than three years ago, in this very hall, Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship of NAM, which I can proudly say in the past few years had become one of the key players in international relations. Before starting our deliberations, I want to draw your attention to the following. As you all know, a few weeks ago, a devastating earthquake happened in Türkiye and Syria. Being one of the most tragic natural disasters of our times, the earthquake claims the lives of tens of thousands of people. I invite all participants of this summit to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives. May Allah rest their souls in peace! Thank you!
We convey our deepest sadness on this terrible disaster and extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, and wish a speedy recovery to those injured.
We can now start our deliberations. Before proceeding to the opening session, the Summit-level Meeting is to adopt the agenda. The provisional agenda for the Summit-level Meeting has been circulated among the delegations. Can I consider that there are no objections to the agenda? Thank you! Agenda of the Summit-level Meeting is hereby adopted. I will now deliver my opening statement in my capacity as a chair of Non-Aligned Movement.
