WUF13: Sri Lanka shares urban reform experience in Baku

Sri Lanka has announced a shift toward a new urban development model grounded in integrated housing systems, climate resilience, and the protection of citizens’ right to decent housing, a Sri Lankan representative said during a ministerial roundtable at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.

He stated that the country’s authorities do not treat housing policy as a standalone sector, but rather as essential economic infrastructure that directly influences quality of life, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“Housing is not an isolated sector. It is a basic economic infrastructure that determines health, education, and human dignity,” he emphasized.

The representative noted that the primary objective of the new model is to build integrated urban systems capable of ensuring social inclusion while also generating economic opportunities for the population.

He also pointed to major challenges faced in implementing the New Urban Agenda, particularly those arising from climate-related disasters, highlighting Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018 as a critical turning point.

“Cyclone Gita was a turning point, revealing the structural vulnerabilities of our urban settlements,” the country's representative stated.

According to him, Sri Lanka is currently carrying out a comprehensive reform of its urban governance framework, transitioning from fragmented service delivery toward integrated development models.

As part of these reforms, he added, a dedicated government agency is being established to protect the Central Highlands, a region vital to the country’s ecosystem stability and water security.

By Jeyhun Aghazada