Unity of Four Regions: Outcomes of the GSNP General Assembly in Baku

On May 14, 2026, the General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform (GSNP) commenced at the Gulistan Palace in Baku. Currently, the Platform encompasses four world regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.

The General Assembly was attended by approximately 1,000 participants from over 100 countries. The Asian region was represented, among others, by civil society members from the five countries of Central Asia.

From Turkmenistan, at the invitation of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the following participants attended: Berkeli Atayev, Director of the “Tebigy Kuwwat” Public Association enterprise; Mubarak Kurbanova, Chairperson of the “Tyaze Zaman” Public Association; Mergen Kepbanov, Director, and Orazgul Isgenderova, Assistant of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan.

The Global South NGO Platform, established in April 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a significant international initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation between civil society organizations of the Global South.

The foundation for creating this platform was the need for representation of regions that constitute the majority of the world’s population within the global decision-making mechanism. This growing NGO Platform currently unites more than 100 countries and fulfills all commitments to solidarity, mutual support, and collective action.

The primary mission of the platform is to develop cooperation between civil society organizations of the Global South, promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, and support joint initiatives in fields such as sustainable development, social justice, inclusiveness, and the fight against climate change.

The platform aims to transform civil society into a unified and effective force on a global level over the long term.

The Assembly moderator, Mr. Orkhan Amashov, welcomed all those present and invited them to view a video presentation highlighting the achievements of the GSNP since its inception.

Subsequently, Mr. Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered a welcoming speech.

The following speakers also addressed the assembly:

• Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues;
• Mr. Ramil Iskandarli, Acting Secretary General of the GSNP;
• Mr. Igor Garafulic, UN Resident Coordinator ad interim in Azerbaijan;
• Ms. Aygun Aliyeva, Chairperson of the Board of the Agency on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
• Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (video message);
• Mr. Luis Gallegos, President of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR);
• Mr. Mohamed Osman Mohamoud, Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Sadar Institute;
• Mr. Nidal Salim, Founder of the Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health (GIWEH), Member of the Board of the Asian Water Council (Switzeland)

Upon the conclusion of the speeches, before the coffee break, the official anthem created for the Global South NGO Platform was played for all participants. The moderator invited everyone to stand and join hands while listening to the anthem.

The second half of the morning session was dedicated to establishing the GSNP Governance Structure. For this purpose, Mr. Fuad Karimli, the nominee for the position of GSNP Secretary-General, and the nominees for the four Deputy Secretary-General positions were invited to the presidium: Mr. Mithika Mwenda for the African region, Mr. Bobur Bekmurodov — Chairman of the “Yuksalish” National Movement (Uzbekistan) — for the Asian region, Mr. Luis Gallegos for the Latin American region, and Ms. Cecile Guidote-Alvarez for the Pacific region.

The session participants voted for the new candidates. Consequently, Mr. Fuad Karimli was elected Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform for a one-year term, and the aforementioned nominees were elected as his deputies for Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.

Mr. Karimli addressed the participants, expressing his gratitude for the trust placed in him and particularly acknowledging the contributions of his predecessor, Mr. Ramil Iskandarli, for his impeccable work.

“As the new Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform, I declare that I will work actively with my deputies representing the four regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. This is not an easy task; it is a commitment to strengthening cooperation between the civil sectors of these four regions,” the Secretary-General noted.

Following this, the session moderator, Ms. Nadima Rahimli, invited all newly elected Deputy Secretaries-General to share their visions regarding the upcoming work on civil society development within their respective regions and the improvement of interregional cooperation.

The afternoon session was dedicated to two panel discussions:

1. “Global South: Settlement of Positions and Strategic Cooperation”
2. “Baku Urban Week: Inclusive Development and Sustainable Urban Models — The Global South Experience”

The panel sessions featured presentations by representatives from various international organizations, the business community, academia, the diplomatic corps, and other sectors.

At the conclusion of the General Assembly, the Declaration of Future Cooperation of the Global South NGO Platform members was developed and adopted, and subsequently read by the Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform, Mr. Fuad Karimli.

Berkeli Atayev.