Baku: Anacl¡udia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), shared her insights with the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) regarding Azerbaijan’s hosting of the upcoming 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku on May 17-22.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Rossbach emphasized the urgent global challenges facing cities, particularly in the areas of housing, urbanization, climate change, and inequality. She pointed out that housing is central to these challenges, with millions living in inadequate conditions and informal settlements. Housing intersects with climate issues, as those in precarious conditions are most affected by climate-related events.
Rossbach outlined the steps being taken by governments, international organizations, and local communities to address these challenges. Advocacy, normative work, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing are key layers of action. Projects need to protect lives, increase resilience, and support long-term plans and policy changes. The World Urban Forum will serve as a platform for dissemination, communication, and creating a global coalition to address these issues.
The forum, co-chaired by Azerbaijan and Somalia, will focus on climate-resilient housing policy recommendations. A new Housing Practices Hub will be launched, showcasing housing experiences and best practices. The forum will also feature a Leaders Summit, marking the first time Azerbaijan has brought leaders to such an event, offering a political and policy-level platform for discussions.
Rossbach highlighted Azerbaijan’s significant role in hosting the World Urban Forum. It is bringing together regional and global stakeholders, contributing valuable expertise, and strengthening partnerships across the region. Azerbaijan’s White City project and previous hosting of COP demonstrate its experience in urban transformation and climate resilience.
The forum’s agenda will include discussions on Azerbaijan’s contributions to global urbanization challenges, emphasizing climate resilience, rebuilding, and recovery. These themes are central to Azerbaijan’s experience and will play a crucial role in the forum’s discussions.
Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency