President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the opening ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku. The event, hosted in the capital of Azerbaijan, brings together global leaders to discuss sustainable urbanization and the future of cities.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, President Ilham Aliyev and the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Anacláudia Rossbach, welcomed heads of state, government officials, and heads of delegations participating in the session. Following an official greeting ceremony and a joint photo session, a video prepared by UN-Habitat dedicated to the opening of WUF13 was screened, followed by a cultural program. The head of state delivered a speech addressing the participants during the ceremony.
The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations in 2001, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. Hosting WUF13 in Baku underscores Azerbaijan's growing role in international diplomacy and its commitment to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11 regarding sustainable cities and communities. This event follows Azerbaijan's successful hosting of other major international summits, highlighting the country's infrastructure capabilities and its strategic focus on urban renewal and smart city initiatives, including the large-scale reconstruction projects currently underway in Garabagh.
