BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 16. The first session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for the current year featured a presentation on the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), which Azerbaijan will host next month, the WUF13 Organizing Committee told TurkicWorld.
According to the committee, detailed information was provided on the preparations jointly carried out by the Government of Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat for the upcoming WUF13. It was noted that the forum’s main theme, "Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities," reflects one of the most pressing global challenges today. Member states actively discussed the forum and frequently referred to the upcoming event in Baku, emphasizing its long-term strategic importance for the global sustainable urban development agenda.
During the meeting, a report on the work plan for the current year was presented on behalf of Azerbaijan and Somalia, co-chairs of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Adequate Housing for All (OEWG-H). The report was delivered by Permanent Representative Sultan Hajiyev.
Participants were also informed about the outcomes of activities carried out within the framework of the 2nd Africa Urban Forum (AUF2), held in Nairobi on April 8-10, as well as planned initiatives for WUF13 and other global events throughout the year. The active participation of the Azerbaijani delegation led by Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and WUF13 national coordinator Anar Guliyev in AUF was highlighted, and the substantive link between AUF2 and the upcoming WUF13 was underscored.
