BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Karabakh is one of
the most heavily mined areas in the world, Fuad Huseynov, Deputy
Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and Internally
Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan, said, Trend reports.


Speaking at the panel discussion titled “Migration and Cities: A
Framework for Safe, Innovative and Sustainable Governance,”
conducted as part of WUF13, Huseynov emphasized that during the
Armenian occupation, Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur were extensively
contaminated with landmines, rendering these regions some of the
most hazardous mine-affected areas globally.


He also noted that during the occupation, Armenia completely
destroyed settlements on Azerbaijani territory.


“Today, international experts consider these areas to be among
the most heavily mined regions in the world. Armenia refuses to
provide accurate and complete mine maps, which leads to the
continuation of mine terrorism against the civilian population.
Since 2020, more than 420 people have been killed or seriously
injured as a result of mine explosions,” he said.


The deputy chairman of the committee noted that, despite this,
Azerbaijan continues rapid reconstruction work in the liberated
territories.


“Today, settlements are being built in Karabakh and Eastern
Zangezur based on the concepts of smart villages, smart cities,
green energy, and modern urbanization. In a short period of time,
master plans have been approved for 91 settlements, including 11
cities, across 12 districts. This is one of the rare and unique
cases in the architectural and urban planning experience of the
Middle East,” he emphasized.


He added that currently, more than 85,000 people have returned
to 43 settlements in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur, including 9
cities, 3 towns, and 31 villages.


Today, the fourth day of the WUF13 conference is taking place 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.