BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Azerbaijan has become
an important platform for cooperation, Christian Mensah, the
Secretary to the Governing Bodies and Chief of Inter-Governmental
Relations at UN-Habitat, said, Trend reports.
He made the statement at the NGO Forum titled "Global
Partnership and Decision-Making" held as a part of the 13th World
Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku
''Peace and development mean sustainable human development.
Azerbaijan’s efforts to promote multilateralism, including its
chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, once again demonstrate
that Azerbaijan stands out in this regard,'' he added.
According to him, WUF13 must ensure a coordinated and broadly
represented civil society.
“For the first time at the Urban Planning Forum, NGOs from the
Global South are holding a joint event. A 78-square-meter pavilion
has been allocated for this purpose. This ensures their
participation in global policy and enhances the role of NGOs in
inclusive urban planning processes. At the same time, we must not
forget about regions that are underrepresented. The differences
between the Global South and the Global North are defining factors.
Sometimes countries are divided into developed and developing
nations. In this context, where does Azerbaijan stand? Azerbaijan
is sufficiently developed and has become an important platform for
cooperation. As Hikmet Hajiyev noted, cooperation is a crucial
issue. NGOs and civil society institutions must actively
participate in these processes and be widely represented,” he
concluded.
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.
