BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Most cities around
the world are unprepared for interconnected risks and multiple
hazards, warned Dmitri Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), at the 13th World Urban
Forum (WUF13), Trend
reports.
Making remarks during the conference “Strengthening Urban
Earthquake Preparedness: UN Solutions for Safer and More Resilient
Cities”, Mariyasin said, “Risks never come alone”.
He explained that urban risks are multifaceted and
interconnected, ranging from human-made disasters and natural
hazards to the consequences of conflicts and sudden climate-related
events. “Sometimes it’s even difficult to classify these events
correctly,” he added.
Mariyasin emphasized that earthquakes pose some of the most
destructive risks for urban areas. “Earthquakes expose structural
weaknesses in cities. They reveal where housing, infrastructure,
and land management systems fail. They test governance mechanisms.
And, of course, they result in significant human, social, and
economic losses. Recovering from these losses is extremely
difficult,” he said.
He pointed to recent disasters in the UNECE region and elsewhere
as evidence of the urgency. “Unfortunately, investments in
resilience must be made before a crisis occurs. Once a crisis hits,
it’s often too late. The devastating earthquake in Turkey a few
years ago provided us with crucial and highly relevant lessons,”
Mariyasin 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.
