President Ilham Aliyev has emphasized the necessity of balancing bold decision-making with a sensitive approach to historical heritage in modern urban development, comparing the process to a Formula 1 race. According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the head of state made these remarks during the official opening ceremony of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13).
The head of state noted that the development of the urban environment, particularly in capital cities, requires both determination and caution. "Sometimes I compare this to the Formula 1 race in Baku, which, by the way, is one of the few city circuits. On the main straight, speeds exceed 300 kilometers per hour, and then pilots must brake hard to fit their cars into a street only seven meters wide, passing just a meter from ancient fortress walls," President Ilham Aliyev said. He stressed that leaders must be courageous in modernization and improving living conditions while remaining extremely careful regarding the preservation of historical legacy. He also highlighted the implementation of a unified development concept involving micro-mobility and electric buses in Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan.
The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. The 13th session (WUF13) serves as a critical platform for international stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Azerbaijan's active participation in these global discussions underscores its commitment to sustainable development, particularly as the country undergoes massive reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories of Garabagh, where "smart city" and "smart village" concepts are being prioritized to ensure ecological and technological efficiency.
