Azerbaijan calls for integrated urban solutions at WUF13 in Baku

Rapid urbanisation, housing affordability challenges, informal settlements and climate-related risks demand a comprehensive and integrated approach to urban development, a senior Azerbaijani official said on May 17 during a high-level meeting in Baku.

Speaking at a ministerial meeting on the New Urban Agenda held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan Anar Guliyev said housing should be viewed as part of a broader urban policy rather than solely as a construction issue, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

"These challenges are not separate problems, but interconnected realities that require integrated solutions. The ministerial meeting is considered one of the main high-level segments of the WUF and has, over the years, become a global dialogue platform on housing, urban development, and sustainable cities," the chairman noted.

According to him, the organization of the ministerial meeting within the framework of WUF13 in a more interactive and result-oriented format is of particular importance: "The new format provides an opportunity for countries not only to share experiences, but also to discuss concrete solutions, demonstrate successful practices, and strengthen collective action."

Guliyev added that today's meeting provides an important opportunity in terms of assessing the results achieved in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, sharing successful practices, and identifying priority areas of action for the next decade.

"The meeting also serves as a preparatory step for the high-level midterm review process of the New Urban Agenda, which will be held in New York in July of this year and organized under the mandate of the UN General Assembly. This forum held in Baku is not just a discussion platform, but also an important call for the formation of stronger partnerships, institutions, and result-oriented action," he emphasized.