BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Without institutional
capacity, recovery efforts remain fragmented, said Evita Schmieg, a
trade policy expert from Germany, Trend reports.
The expert made the remarks during a training session titled
"Policies, papers, and bricks Capacity Building for Crisis
Preparedness and Response" held within the framework of the 13th
session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
"Recovery does not solely concern physical infrastructure. It
equally concerns institutions, management capabilities, and the
capacity of municipalities to make decisions under pressure. This
is precisely where capacity building becomes critically vital," she
noted.
According to her, cities require trained local administrations,
effective coordination mechanisms, and reliable planning systems.
Without institutional capacity, recovery remains fragmented,
reactive, and ultimately unsustainable.
Schmieg emphasized that the Ukrainian experience demonstrates
the importance of practical and locally oriented approaches. Tools
must function under real-world conditions: crisis coordination,
geospatial data for recovery planning, high-quality information
management, and cooperation among local authorities, civil society,
and international partners emerge as key elements of
resilience.
She also pointed out that crisis readiness and recovery remain
impossible without a comprehensive approach. The housing sector,
energy supply, local governance, digital infrastructure, and social
cohesion must undergo evaluation as a unified system if cities aim
to remain functional under the pressure of crises.
Germany, Schmieg concluded, remains firmly committed to
supporting Ukraine and its municipalities as key actors in recovery
and sustainable development.
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.
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.
