An event titled "Post-Conflict Urban Planning: Restoring Destroyed Identity and Rebuilding an Integrated Future" was held at the Azerbaijan pavilion within the framework of the 13th Session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13).
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the opening of the event featured a video presentation detailing the extensive restoration and construction work currently underway in the city of Khankendi, as well as the Shusha, Aghdara, and Khojaly districts.
Speaking at the event, Aydin Karimov, the Special Representative of the President in Shusha, emphasized that reconstruction efforts began immediately after the district's liberation. He noted that this process has accelerated significantly over the past few years. The Special Representative stated that Shusha is home to nearly 200 historical and cultural monuments, most of which were destroyed or damaged during the period of occupation. To date, 27 monuments have been fully restored, including seven mosques, six springs, seven cultural facilities, the Shusha Fortress, the statue of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, the mausoleum complex of Molla Panah Vagif, and the Khanlig Mukhtar caravanserai.
Karimov added that since May 10, 2024, a total of 1,411 people (377 families) have been resettled in Shusha. In the first residential district, 23 multi-apartment buildings comprising 450 apartments have been commissioned. Currently, a Treatment-Diagnostic and Health Center is operational in Shusha, a State Services Center has been established, and restoration work on the Girls' Gymnasium School is ongoing.
Elchin Yusubov, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khankendi and the Aghdara and Khojaly districts, highlighted that demining and the removal of unexploded ordnance were among the most challenging processes. "In Khankendi, 1,456 hectares have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance, while 10,359 hectares in Aghdara and 9,874 hectares in Khojaly have been cleared," the Special Representative added.
Yusubov also reported that 71 families (302 people) have returned to Khankendi, 857 families (3,341 people) to Aghdara, and 1,083 families (4,510 people) to Khojaly. Regarding infrastructure, he noted: "Within the framework of the railway and bus terminal project, the design work for the 28-kilometer Aghdam-Khankendi railway line is 90 percent complete, with construction at 51.1 percent. For the Khankendi City Railway and Bus Station Complex, design work is 90 percent finished, and construction is 40 percent complete."
The World Urban Forum (WUF), established by the United Nations in 2001, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. The 13th session serves as a critical platform for Azerbaijan to share its unique experience in rebuilding cities from scratch following decades of occupation, focusing on the "Great Return" program and the implementation of "Smart City" and "Smart Village" concepts across the Garabagh region. These initiatives aim to integrate modern technology with sustainable living while preserving the authentic cultural heritage of the liberated territories.
