BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Today's discussions
have once again demonstrated that the New Urban Agenda remains as
relevant as ever, Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for
Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan and National
Coordinator of WUF13, said during the closing session of the
"Ministerial Meeting on the New Urban Agenda (NUA)" held within the
framework of WUF13 in Baku, Trend reports.
According to the national coordinator, despite 10 years having
passed since its adoption, the New Urban Agenda document continues
to provide a common framework for addressing the most pressing
challenges of our time—such as inequality, inadequate housing,
informal settlements, climate risks, infrastructure deficiencies,
forced displacement, as well as the need for more inclusive,
productive, and sustainable urban development.
"At the same time, today's discussions clearly demonstrated that
the next decade must be characterized as an implementation phase.
We heard strong messages regarding the vital importance of placing
adequate housing at the center of sustainable urban development.
The significance of linking housing with land, basic services,
transport, employment, public spaces, financing, and climate action
was highly emphasized," Guliyev said.
He underscored that this ministerial meeting is not an isolated
event. It is part of the path leading from Baku to New York, and a
key component of the process moving from the World Urban Forum to
the High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly dedicated to the
mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda, to be held in July.
