BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Youth in the Global
South should focus on innovation, technology, and economic
independence instead of constantly looking to the past, said
Makadji Aissata Dite Ya, Chief Institutional Partnerships Advisor
at TripinAfrica, during the international conference “The
Role of Youth in Urban Development in the Process of
Decolonization”, held as part of the 13th session of the World
Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.


“This platform should not be a place where we endlessly repeat
old stories and theories. We are not a generation of complaints, we
are a generation of solutions,” she said. According to the
representative from Côte d’Ivoire, youth in the Global South expect
concrete strategies for building the future from such platforms.
She emphasized the importance of developing innovation, digital
technologies, and artificial intelligence as tools for autonomy and
economic growth.


She placed particular emphasis on the issue of economic
independence in the countries of the Global South. According to
her, countries must process their own natural resources and raw
materials domestically to create sustainable jobs. “We must
transform our resources at home, with our own efforts, and for our
own development,” she stated.


The representative from Côte d’Ivoire also called on young
people to shape their own models of development, education, and
environmental transition. “Our sovereignty will not be measured by
the strength of protest speeches, but by the power of our
economies, the creativity of startups, and the strength of our
unity,” she emphasized.


According to her, youth in the Global South must abandon old,
restrictive approaches and focus on creating a modern and
independent future. “The future is being built today, and we must
write it together,” Dite Ya added.


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.