BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Approximately 70% of
the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050, and as
urbanization accelerates, the importance of participatory
governance increases further, Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the
United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), said,
Trend reports.


The director made the remarks during her speech at the event
titled "WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnerships and Decision-Making"
held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban
Forum (WUF13) in Baku.


According to her, NGOs actively participate at an informal level
in areas such as climate adaptation measures, disaster
preparedness, and digital inclusivity, thereby contributing to the
early identification of emerging needs and the formulation of
inclusive urban policies.


"In this regard, NGOs often play the role of a trusted mediator
between communities and institutions. They also uncover and bring
to the agenda practical solutions that might otherwise be
overlooked," Al-Khatib said.


"In cooperation with UNESCO and UN-Habitat, we pay special
attention to heritage preservation, climate action, urban
resilience, and recovery processes. At the same time, training
sessions on disaster risk reduction get organized. To date, we have
implemented training programs covering people across 168 countries
and thousands of communities. We believe that NGOs should play an
even more active role in this ecosystem. Resilient cities build
themselves on inclusivity, local ownership, and mutual trust.
Cities must become the primary driving force for change and
innovation," she noted.


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.