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Akbar Novruz

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On the penultimate day of the 13th session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, AzerNEWS had the honor to talk with former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic, who spoke about the importance of informal global platforms, Azerbaijan’s growing international role, and lessons from post-war reconstruction that could be relevant for the rebuilding of Karabakh:

- Beyond visibility and diplomacy, how can forums like WUF13 create measurable impact for cities and communities?

- “As a former president, I can tell you there is a big difference between formal meetings and meetings like this. In formal meetings, many people speak without real essence, without soul, without real commitment. Very often, they become general discussions and general statements.

But at meetings like this, you can have more honest discussions, more honest sharing of opinions and experiences. Because of that, I find these meetings very significant.

I also believe the future of diplomacy is less about formal ‘blah blah blah’ discussions and much more about platforms like this.”

- Do you believe Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a regional hub for urban policy and sustainable development discussions? How do you evaluate the country’s organization of WUF13?

- “Honestly, I have been familiar with Azerbaijan for the last ten years, and I can compare Azerbaijan twenty years ago with Azerbaijan today. There is a huge difference, especially internationally.

Azerbaijan is becoming a much more serious international player than it was before. Urban planning is also a very significant and important area.

I was asked by local media how I see Azerbaijan’s role in this field, and my answer is simple: the best way is to show others that you can successfully implement these ideas in your own cities and towns.”

- Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced massive post-war reconstruction. What lessons from that experience could be relevant for countries facing post-conflict recovery today, including Azerbaijan’s rebuilding efforts in Garabagh?

“My experience from Bosnia and Herzegovina is that rebuilding houses after war is absolutely key. In our case, we received strong support from various multilateral institutions.

My advice would be to place pressure on institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, and the World Bank to support the reconstruction of Garabagh.”

- So you see this not only as a governmental issue, but also as a responsibility of international institutions?

A: “Yes, absolutely. These institutions should support such reconstruction processes. It should be very clearly backed by them.

I think now is exactly the right time to insist on that because this is part of their responsibility. They cannot ignore requests coming from local communities and governments. That is something I would strongly encourage.”

- Do you think Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina could exchange experiences regarding post-conflict reconstruction and smart city development in the future?

“Definitely. I visited Shusha immediately after liberation, and I know there is a huge need to restore everything after so many years.

At the same time, I have seen many efforts by Azerbaijan to rebuild highways, roads, and infrastructure. The process is quite amazing.”

Q: How would you rate the reconstruction process overall?

- "It is very impressive and very strong. Better than expected. I think other countries can definitely learn from this experience.”