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Akbar Novruz

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Speaking on the sidelines of the 13th session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, PhD in Economics and NGO representative Nick Nwolisa expressed his overall impressions of the forum and highlighted the growing attention Azerbaijan is receiving for its urban development agenda.

He noted that the forum reflects strong engagement at multiple levels, ranging from high-level policy discussions to institutional and civil society participation.

“My general impression is that so far it’s been great. I just came out of an event, and the engagement from people, the whole talk around sustainable urban development and circular economy, these are all things that need to be at the forefront. So I’m really, really impressed with the way it’s been going so far,” he said.

He emphasized that such platforms help bring global attention to Azerbaijan’s urban development efforts and create space for meaningful exchange of ideas and best practices.

Addressing the role of NGOs in tackling urban challenges, particularly inadequate housing, he stressed that civil society plays a crucial role in raising awareness and supporting the implementation of development goals.

“One of the speakers mentioned the importance of awareness in accelerating sustainable urban development and creating an enabling urban city. For me, the role of NGOs is very important in this aspect,” he said.

He further explained that NGOs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between governments, institutions, and citizens by disseminating information across all levels of society.

“If you really want to create awareness so that the common man or woman understands not just what governments are doing, but also what other organizations and civil society actors are doing, NGOs are key. They carry this awareness to every sector and every level of the economy,” he added.

He concluded that NGOs will continue to play a strong and central role in advancing sustainable urban development and addressing housing and urbanization challenges globally.