Azerbaijan has actively participated in the review process of the New Urban Agenda's implementation during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku. Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and national coordinator for WUF13, announced the outcomes during the event's closing ceremony.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, Guliyev highlighted that 80 out of 111 participating countries were represented at the ministerial level. Following ministerial meetings, thematic panels addressed housing provision, climate change, sustainability, social inclusion, and multilateral cooperation. "The discussions created a more interactive and solution-oriented dialogue platform. The practical recommendations and exchange of ideas played a crucial role in preparing for the high-level review of the New Urban Agenda to be held at the UN General Assembly by the end of the year," Guliyev stated.
WUF13 marked a historic milestone as the largest forum to date, hosting 58,044 participants from 176 countries, demonstrating the power of inclusive dialogue. The event introduced the innovative "Leaders' Summit" format, which received high praise from international delegates. Furthermore, the collaboration between Azerbaijan and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to develop operational guidelines for organizing future World Urban Forums was widely welcomed. The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations in 2001, serves as the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization, addressing the challenges of rapid urban growth and its impact on communities, economies, and the environment.
