BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. The World Urban Forum
serves as a result-oriented global platform by successfully
converging policy dialogue, innovation, capacity building, and
political cooperation, Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of
the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), said
during the official opening press conference on the second day of
WUF13 in Baku, Trend
reports.
According to the executive director, the upcoming ministerial
dialogue within the forum will directly contribute to shaping the
next critical phase of the New Urban Agenda.
"Today, practical solutions are actively being deployed across
various global cities to upgrade informal settlements, expand
public services, and reinforce climate resilience. The primary
challenge we face is not a lack of solutions, but rather the speed
and scale of their implementation," Rossbach stated.
Rossbach pointed out that a significant portion of urban
innovation is generated precisely at the local level, often under
tightly constrained resources and challenging conditions. She
emphasized that empowering cities and local communities remains
absolutely vital to achieving overarching global development
targets.
The UN-Habitat chief also drew attention to the critical
importance of strategic partnerships, noting that given the current
scale and complexity of modern urbanization challenges, no single
entity or stakeholder can navigate these issues alone.
She added that WUF13 functions as an essential vehicle for
transitioning from theoretical dialogue to real field action. The
"Baku Call to Action," which will be officially adopted at the
conclusion of the forum, will reflect a shared vision and a
collective global commitment toward building inclusive, resilient,
and sustainable cities.
"The necessity is already clear: the knowledge and solutions are
available. The core issue now is demonstrating the collective
political will to turn inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities
and communities into a reality for everyone," Rossbach
concluded.
