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Nazrin Abdul

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UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaklaudia Rossbax and Anar Guliyev, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and National Coordinator for WUF13, briefed international media on preparations for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku from May 17–22, 2026.

As reported by Azernews, the briefing was held in Nairobi, Kenya, and was moderated by Sultan Hajiyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Nairobi.

WUF13 will serve as a crucial global platform for assessing the mid-term implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

Rossbax highlighted the relevance of WUF13’s theme, “Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities,” emphasizing that the Forum is more than just a conference. “Within the global context, WUF13 is an essential platform for evaluating progress on the New Urban Agenda and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal for sustainable cities and communities,” she said. “It will allow member states and partners to assess commitments, identify gaps, and set priorities for the coming decade in addressing the global housing crisis, which is closely linked to the climate emergency.”

She also underscored the significance of 2026 as a pivotal year for the global urban agenda. Rossbax added that WUF13 will host a ministerial meeting on the New Urban Agenda, the outcomes of which will feed into the 2026 global evaluation processes. The Forum will also feature the presentation of the “2026 Global Report on Cities.”

Anar Guliyev, WUF13 National Coordinator, outlined Azerbaijan’s new initiatives as the host country and highlighted the inaugural Leaders’ Summit as a unique platform for high-level political dialogue on global urban priorities. He emphasized the role of cities and local governments in shaping discussions, while also noting the importance of private sector engagement in promoting innovation, climate-resilient construction, and modern housing technologies.

“Preparations for WUF13 are proceeding at full speed. We are coordinating all organizational, logistical, and operational aspects to ensure that the Forum is held as a world-class event grounded in sustainability, inclusiveness, and safety,” Guliyev said.

The media briefing in Nairobi was organized as part of the 3rd session of UN-Habitat’s Executive Board.