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AzerNEWS Staff

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The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), held in Baku in May 2026 under the auspices of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), has been remembered as one of the most significant international events in recent years in the field of sustainable urban development. Bringing together more than 57,000 participants from 176 countries, the forum once again demonstrated Azerbaijan’s growing role as a platform for global dialogue and cooperation.

By hosting this prestigious event for the first time, Azerbaijan transformed Baku into an international centre for discussions on the future of cities, housing policy, climate resilience and inclusive development. In this regard, the holding of WUF13 in Baku is regarded as a landmark event not only for the region but also for the global urbanisation agenda as a whole.

Held under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Human Settlements”, the forum focused extensively on one of the world’s most pressing challenges — the global housing crisis. According to United Nations estimates, approximately 2.8 billion people worldwide currently live in inadequate housing conditions. For this reason, WUF13 became an important platform for discussing practical solutions and developing new approaches to sustainable urban development.

The forum’s principal outcome was the adoption of the Baku Call to Action, a document reflecting the shared vision of governments, international organisations, cities, civil society and experts for addressing the global housing crisis and advancing the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

The document places particular emphasis on the need to move from declarations to concrete action. It also identifies the strengthening of international cooperation and the expansion of climate finance as key priorities. At the same time, it highlights the importance of integrating housing policies with infrastructure, transport, social protection, environmental sustainability and economic development.

During the Ministerial Meeting on the New Urban Agenda, participants noted that although ten years have passed since the programme was adopted in Quito, the international community is now entering a decisive phase in its implementation. It was specifically emphasised that housing is not merely a matter of construction but also a foundation for social justice, human dignity, resilience and economic opportunity.

The forum also carried particular significance in terms of international recognition of Azerbaijan’s policies on sustainable development, urban modernisation and post-conflict reconstruction. Participants highly praised the reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories, as well as the country’s modern urban solutions and sustainable territorial development approaches.

One of the notable initiatives presented during WUF13 was the Smart and Sustainable Human Settlements for Safe Return (4SRP) initiative, developed jointly by Azerbaijan, UN-Habitat, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub. The initiative aims to establish international standards for post-conflict recovery based on the principles of safe and sustainable return, environmental resilience, climate adaptation and peacebuilding.

As such, WUF13 once again confirmed Baku’s role as an important global platform for dialogue, bringing together states, cities and international organisations around the common goal of building inclusive, safe and liveable urban environments.

The outcomes of the forum and the Baku Call to Action are expected to make a significant contribution to the High-Level Midterm Review Meeting of the New Urban Agenda, which will be held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in July 2026.

Overall, the successful hosting of WUF13 in Baku is viewed as further confirmation of Azerbaijan’s growing role in shaping the global agenda on sustainable development, climate resilience and international cooperation.

Special emphasis was placed on the visionary policies and strategic leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in the areas of sustainable development, modern urban planning, post-conflict reconstruction and global cooperation.

At the same time, appreciation was expressed to the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the high-level organisation of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, its hospitality and the productive environment for dialogue that was created.

Furthermore, the Chair’s Summary of the Ministerial Meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening international cooperation in the areas of urban resilience, affordable housing policies, climate adaptation and inclusive urban development. The document underlined that the discussions held in Baku during WUF13 made a significant contribution to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and to promoting practical action aimed at addressing the global housing crisis.

The full text of the Baku Call to Action is available online.