Nairobi: Azerbaijan has been elected Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Working Group of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) on ‘Adequate Housing for All’. This decision was made during the second session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group held at the UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, as reported by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Kenya to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Azerbaijan will serve as Co-Chair alongside Somalia for the period 2025-2026, taking over from the previous Co-Chairs, Kenya and France. The Intergovernmental Working Group acts as the secretariat of the UN-Habitat Assembly, providing recommendations, coordinating the activities of Member States, and contributing to the implementation of global policies aimed at ensuring safe, sustainable, and affordable housing for all.
Azerbaijan’s new role as Co-Chair is expected to strengthen the country’s involvement in global urban development processes and facilitate the advancement of solutions for adequate housing on an international scale. This leadership position will also provide an opportunity to spotlight the initiatives and outcomes of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to be held in Baku in May 2026, under the theme ‘Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.’
The collaboration between UN-Habitat and Azerbaijan in sustainable urban development continues to grow. Azerbaijan is a member of the UN-Habitat Executive Board and will host WUF13. Experts from Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture and ADA University are contributing to the International Guidelines on People-Centered Smart Cities, a project initiated by UN-Habitat.
In 2023, UN-Habitat organized the World Habitat Day in Baku and has supported Azerbaijan’s National Urban Forums in 2022, 2023, and 2025.