BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Attempts to
artificially "redesign" cities through the creation of new
satellite agglomerations without addressing the structural problems
of existing cities are a wrong approach to urban policy, Founder of
the African Centre for Cities (ACC), Professor Edgar Pieterse said
at the panel discussion titled "The Climate-Housing Nexus" within
the framework of the 13th session of the World Forum of Cities
(WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.


"It's very difficult to consider urban development issues in the
abstract, as they manifest themselves differently in different
contexts," he noted.


According to him, research participants generally agree on the
criteria for affordable, climate-resilient, and energy-efficient
housing, but a significant gap remains between stated goals and
practical implementation.


"We see that all participants agree on these principles, but in
practice, there is an almost insurmountable gap between
affordability and actual construction solutions," he added.


Pieterse emphasized that the construction sector involves
numerous players—banks, developers, engineers, contractors, and
others—but none is fully prepared to shoulder the risks of
transforming construction models.


In this regard, he announced the need to implement more
stringent regulatory and incentive mechanisms that will facilitate
behavioral change among market participants.


The professor also addressed the issue of urbanization and the
role of secondary cities, noting the differences between the
European and African contexts and emphasizing that migration
processes and the concentration of opportunities in large cities
continue to intensify.







In his opinion, instead of attempting to artificially create new
cities, it is necessary to focus on addressing the structural
problems of existing urban spaces and increasing their
sustainability and accessibility.


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.