Azerbaijan presents plans for Baku WUF13 at UN meeting in Kenya PHOTO

A delegation led by Anar Guliyev, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and National Coordinator of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), took part in the Third Session of the Executive Board of UN-Habitat, held in Nairobi, Kenya.

A two-day briefing was organised for delegations and heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Kenya, the State Committee’s press service told Caliber.Az.

The meeting, attended by more than 200 delegates, provided detailed information on the essence of WUF13, the preparatory process, planned initiatives, events and activities, as well as opportunities for participation and cooperation. The Forum will take place in Baku on May 17–22, 2026.

Speaking at the briefing, Anar Guliyev underlined that the theme of WUF13 — “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Human Settlements” — reflects the global agenda and is aimed at strengthening international cooperation in sustainable urban development.

He stressed the importance of Azerbaijan’s involvement in these efforts and announced that, for the first time in the Forum’s history, a Leaders’ Meeting with the participation of heads of state and government will be held.

UN-Habitat Executive Director Ana Claudia Rossbach expressed gratitude to the Government of Azerbaijan for its active preparation for the Forum, praising the country’s commitment to the global urban agenda and its consistent efforts. She noted that WUF13 will be a key milestone for renewing partners’ commitments to ensuring adequate housing for all. After the briefing, a media interaction took place, during which questions regarding preparations for WUF13 were answered.

As part of the session’s agenda, a presentation by Anar Guliyev — delivered on behalf of Azerbaijan and Somalia, the two countries elected in October as co-chairs of the UN-Habitat Assembly’s Intergovernmental Working Group on the “Adequate Housing for All” resolution for 2025–2026 — was heard. His remarks outlined plans for further advancing work under the co-chairmanship.

Azerbaijan, as the host country of WUF13, also organised an official reception for participating delegations and members of the diplomatic corps.

During the session, Anar Guliyev held a number of discussions with heads of delegations from various countries. Over the two days, participants visited the WUF13 promotional stand installed at UN-Habitat headquarters, which attracted significant interest.

The events were also attended by Sultan Hajiyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kenya and Congo (Brazzaville) and Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat in Nairobi, as well as representatives from Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration, the Foreign Ministry, and the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.

By Khagan Isayev