SVG represented at Azerbaijan forum

History was made in Baku on Monday, April 28, 2025, as more than 100 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) from 135 countries gathered for the launch of the first-ever Global NGO Platform—a groundbreaking initiative marking a new era of unity, solidarity, and cooperation among NGOs across the Global South.

Marslyn Lewis, an Executive Member of the SeaMoss Association of SVG

The platform was born out of the action plans adopted at COP29, hosted in Azerbaijan in November 2024, where more than 1,000 NGO representatives and activists from over 140 countries signed a joint declaration to amplify global civil society voices and foster cross-border collaboration.

Over three days (April 27–29), delegates participated in dynamic discussions and strategic panels, including:

• Local Action, Global Change: NGOs Tackling Climate in the Global South

• NGOs Driving Change: Advancing the SDGs in the Global South

• Global South Rising: The Bandung Spirit and the Fight for Sovereign Futures

• Bridging Borders: Collaboration for a Prosperous Future

• No More Double Standards: NGOs as Catalysts for Fair Development in the Global South

These sessions laid the groundwork for a unified Global South NGO Network, aimed at knowledge-sharing, joint action, and a more equitable global order.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was represented by Marslyn Lewis, a sea moss value-added producer from the Seamoss Association of SVG, and Orisha Joseph, Director of the Sustainable Grenadines Project. Both delegates made valuable contributions to discussions on climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and grassroots innovation.

“The Global NGO Platform comes at a critical time when unified advocacy is essential,” Marslyn Lewis is quoted in a release as stating, “It offers a powerful opportunity for local actions to create global impact. Our local NGO now has a global voice, and we can begin to foster international relationships and collaborations that truly make a difference.”

The success of this historic initiative owes much to the unwavering support of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, whose leadership helped turn the COP29 action plan into a reality. Azerbaijan’s commitment to global cooperation and climate leadership has made it a bridge between the Global North and South.

Charlene Ruto, daughter of the President of Kenya and a prominent youth advocate, also addressed the forum. She called on world leaders to deliver on their climate commitments and highlighted the grave injustice that Africa, despite contributing minimally to global emissions, remains among the regions most affected by climate change.

Azerbaijan’s diplomatic efforts to foster mutual trust and dialogue between the Global North and South culminated in what is now referred to as the “Baku Breakthrough” at COP29. The summit welcomed approximately 80,000 participants from 197 countries, solidifying Azerbaijan’s role as a facilitator of consensus and global cooperation.

As global NGOs face mounting social, environmental, and political challenges, the release states, but added that the launch of the Global NGO Platform offers renewed hope and a strategic foundation for lasting, transformative change.