UNECE is a signatory of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and contributes in particular to the following strategic priorities:
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Outcome 1.1: People furthest behind participate in and benefit from a diverse and innovative economy encompassing future-oriented labour market transformation and access to decent work.
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Outcome 2.1: People furthest behind benefit from enhanced national capacities and governance structures for social protection and quality public and social services in line with Azerbaijan’s international commitments.
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Outcome 2.2: Quality, disaggregated and timely data is available and used to inform decision-making and policies that leave no one behind.
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Outcome 3.1: People including those left behind benefit from climate and strategies and environment protection policies that ensure natural resource are sustainably managed, livelihood are protected, and resilience strengthened.
UNECE works in close cooperation with the Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Country Team.
Key highlights
Energy
Through the Baku Higher Oil School, Azerbaijan is currently undertaking a project to apply the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) to its hydrocarbon reserves. As UNFC also applies not only to gas and oil, but also to nuclear fuel resources, renewable energy, anthropogenic resources and injection projects for CO2 storage, there are many benefits for the Government to apply UNFC at the national level and to help deliver on the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement (SDG7, SDG12 and SDG13).
UNECE project on Sustainable Hydrogen Production Pathways in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia analysed an optimal low- and zero-carbon technology interplay to produce hydrogen in Azerbaijan sustainably (SDG7).
Azerbaijan joined the Global Methane Initiative in March 2024, making an important voluntary commitment to reduce emissions of methane (SDG7).
Environment
Azerbaijan is a Party to 5 UNECE environmental conventions and several of their protocols.
UNECE is ready to continue its extensive and longstanding support to Azerbaijan to advance its accession to the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), as well as to advance ratification of the latest protocols to the Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention (SDG12 and SDG13).
Together with other partners, UNECE is also ready to support Azerbaijan in the establishment of National Policy Dialogues (NPD) for Industrial Safety and in the implementation of its commitments under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SDG12 and SDG13).
Since 2010 and jointly with OECD, UNECE has been facilitating the National Policy Dialogue on Integrated Water Resources Management in Azerbaijan to support water policy reforms. UNECE has also been providing support for consultations with Georgia on the Kura Agreement (SDG6).
The third Environmental Performance Review of Azerbaijan was finalized in 2023 and contains recommendations for improving the environmental situation and the wellbeing of the population, while greening the energy, agriculture, transport, housing, industry and health sectors (SDG11 and SDG13).
Forests
UNECE is focused on strengthening Azerbaijan’s policy framework on forest landscape restoration and its participation in regional cooperation on forest management and forest landscape restoration (SDG13 and SDG15).
The conservation of riparian (tugai) and mountain forest ecosystems with their biodiversity is among the main priorities (SDG13 and SDG15).
Gender equality
The standards body of Azerbaijan is invited to sign the Declaration on Gender-Responsive Standards and Standards Development (SDG5, SDG9 and SDG12).
Population
To monitor implementation of ageing-related policies, namely the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, Azerbaijan for the first time recently produced the Active Ageing Index (SDG3).
Statistics
Azerbaijan is a regular participant in UNECE statistical activities, including regional capacity development events. In partnership with the European Commission (Eurostat) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), UNECE conducts global assessments of the national statistical system every 5-6 years (SDG11).
Trade
UNECE has a longstanding cooperation with Azerbaijan on trade facilitation, namely development of the first Single Window for export and import clearance in the SPECA subregion and the South Caucasus. As SPECA Chair and to strengthen regional trade and digital connectivity of transit corridors, in November 2023 Azerbaijan hosted the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the countries participating in the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), where they adopted the Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (SDG8 and SDG9)
UNECE has assisted Azerbaijan with the implementation of the UN/CEFACT standards for digital data and document exchange and supported the country’s readiness to implement the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (SDG8 and SDG9).
Azerbaijan participates in an implementation project for the digitalization of multimodal data and document exchange along the GUAM corridor that connects Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova (SDG8 and SDG9).
Transport
Azerbaijan has acceded to 16 United Nations legal instruments on inland transport. It is invited to accede to the Protocol to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (1978) and the 2008 Additional Protocol to the CMR concerning the Electronic Consignment Note (e-CMR) to receive benefits from the digitalized document under the CMR Convention (SDG8 and SDG9).
UNECE has assisted Azerbaijan to interconnect their national customs system with the eTIR international system and share all relevant information to support border crossing facilitation. In January 2023, the first ever electronic TIR (eTIR) transport in line with the TIR Convention has taken place between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan (SDG8 and SDG9).
Azerbaijan is a beneficiary of the 2022 project to build resilient, climate adaptive and economically viable transport infrastructure networks to develop sustainable Euro-Asian transport links. To strengthen regional transport connectivity, in November 2023 Azerbaijan hosted the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the countries participating in the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), where they adopted the Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (SDG8 and SDG9).