BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Across all regions of
the world, the issue of housing is no longer a topic excluded from
political discourse and has become a central focus of the
political, economic, and social agenda, the Director of the
Regional Programmes Division at UN-Habitat, Patrick Canagasingham,
said, Trend
reports.


He made the statement during the panel discussion “Housing at
the Center of Global Coalitions,” held as part of WUF13.


“Look at the global economy. Housing systems are already closely
linked to productivity, migration, public finances, and sustainable
development issues. But what does this actually mean? Housing is no
longer a separate sector or a social problem. It is a systemic
problem. And systemic problems require a coalition-based approach,”
he noted.


The UN-Habitat representative emphasized that if we do not
address the housing issue properly, the success of climate
strategies, the competitiveness of urban economies, the management
of demographic transitions, and the preservation of social cohesion
will be at serious risk:


“That is precisely why the housing issue must be at the center
of global coalitions. This is not a secondary or ancillary
problem.”







Meanwhile, the third day of the 13th session of the World Urban
Forum (WUF13) is underway in Baku.


On the first day, a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New
Urban Agenda, a roundtable of ministers, assemblies of women and
civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
well-being were held. A ceremony for raising the flags of the
United Nations and Azerbaijan also took place within the framework
of the forum.


The second day of the forum drew attention with the first-ever
Leaders Summit. High-level discussions on the global housing
crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience were held that
day. At the same time, the Mexico City pavilion was inaugurated
within the framework of WUF13. The pavilion was presented as an
important platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.