BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Hosting the World
Urban Forum in Baku signifies that Azerbaijan is taking the lead on
such important issues as urban development, “smart cities,” and
“smart villages,” the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Punjab
Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), Mansoor
Ahmed Janjua, told Trend on the sidelines of WUF13 in Baku.
“Thank you very much for hosting such a wonderful forum in Baku.
Azerbaijan and Pakistan are, in fact, two hands of the same body.
Our countries are very close. Historically, Pakistan and Azerbaijan
have always supported each other—whether on territorial issues or
positions on international platforms. Cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Pakistan can be called exemplary,” he said.
According to Janjua, cooperation between the two countries will
continue to strengthen in the future.
“I hope that this cooperation will continue in the coming years
and for future generations. Our interaction in the fields of
defense, urban planning, the economy, joint infrastructure
development, as well as cooperation within the United Nations on
key issues—all of this strengthens our relations,” he noted.
According to him, hosting WUF13 in Baku underscores Azerbaijan’s
growing role in sustainable urban development.
"The World Urban Forum is a wonderful initiative launched by the
Government of Azerbaijan. Hosting the forum in Baku means that
Azerbaijan is taking the lead on such important issues as urban
development, ‘smart cities,’ and ‘smart villages, areas that the
Azerbaijani government is already actively developing. This is a
wonderful initiative and a necessity of our time," he added.
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.
