Baku to Host 13th Session of the World Urban Forum: Focus on Sustainable Development and a Secure Future
As reported by the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) will be held in Azerbaijan’s capital from May 17 to 22 this year. The main theme of the upcoming large-scale event is “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”.
The World Urban Forum (WUF), established by the United Nations in 2001, is a highly authoritative, high-level platform. The forum addresses critical contemporary challenges arising from rapid, often unplanned urbanization, climate change, and growing social inequalities.
The event is organized and coordinated by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Established in 1977, this entity is mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable cities to ensure adequate housing for all. The inaugural forum took place in 2002 in Nairobi, Kenya, where the organization is headquartered.
The participants of WUF13 will focus heavily on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030. Experts project that by 2050, the majority of the global population will reside in urban areas, placing significant strain on infrastructure and the environment. Consequently, special attention is being directed toward providing accessible housing, developing public transit, managing waste, and adapting cities to climate change.
Additionally, the forum’s work is grounded in the New Urban Agenda, adopted by world leaders in 2016 in Ecuador. This document serves as a global roadmap for creating compact, smart cities with developed green transportation and protected cultural heritage.
Preparations for this significant event in Azerbaijan are being conducted at the highest state level. The Host Country Agreement between the Government of Azerbaijan and the UN was officially approved by President Ilham Aliyev in March 2024. Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, has been appointed as the National Coordinator for WUF13, and a special Organizing Committee is actively functioning.
The upcoming forum in Baku is expected to bring together high-ranking government officials, representatives of international organizations, and leading global experts in architecture and urban planning.
As noted by AZERTAC, the World Urban Forum is considered the second-largest and strategically vital global platform within the UN system after the UN Climate Change Conference (COP). Hosting WUF13 underscores Azerbaijan’s increasingly influential role in global urban processes and provides an opportunity to showcase the country’s achievements in urban development and large-scale territorial restoration to a wide audience. The event will serve as a critical platform for establishing new international partnerships dedicated to global sustainable development.
UzA
