The role of communities is essential for achieving sustainable development and inclusive urban planning, Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stated during a press conference marking the conclusion of the 13th session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13). He emphasized that Azerbaijan is actively aligning its national urban policies with the global agenda to create more resilient and inclusive urban environments.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Guliyev highlighted the successful collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). "We have laid the foundation for future cooperation here, which is a first for the World Urban Forum. We consider the contribution of communities worldwide to sustainable development to be of paramount importance," Guliyev said. He further noted that Azerbaijan is implementing large-scale, high-level restoration projects in its liberated territories, including the development of "smart villages" and the strengthening of national urban planning capacities.
The World Urban Forum (WUF), established by the United Nations in 2001, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. WUF13 brought together over 58,000 participants and more than 400 speakers from various countries to address the challenges of rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, and economies. Azerbaijan's participation underscores its commitment to the sustainable reconstruction of regions such as Garabagh and East Zangazur following their liberation, integrating modern ecological standards and innovative urban solutions into the national development framework.
