Azerbaijan is preparing to launch a new training tool on urban planning and sustainable development, which it developed in partnership with the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).


This announcement was made by Gunel Malikova, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation and Protocol Department at the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture during her appearance at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.


Speaking on May 20 at a WUF event titled "Linking Insights from National Urban Policies and Housing Solutions," Malikova revealed that the initative will be launched next month.


According to the planning official, Azerbaijan's national urban policy should also cover housing issues and problems.


"In 2016, the State Housing Development Agency was established in Azerbaijan to provide housing on preferential terms. It covers certain categories of citizens with special rights, families of martyrs, young civil servants with academic degrees, young families and others. The agency covers part of the population, but this is not, strictly speaking, a full-fledged housing policy. Yes, we have a Housing Code that needs to be updated," she said.


Speaking about national urban policy in Azerbaijan, Malikova recalled that everything began in 2012 with the adoption of the new Urban Planning and Construction Code.


"However, we still did not have a single, clearly formalized national urban policy document. At the same time, with the support of the World Bank, we also began developing a regional plan covering Greater Baku - Baku, Sumgayit and Khirdalan. It was completed in 2015," she said.


According to her, Azerbaijan is currently developing a national policy.


"This is also reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026–2030. These projects also include comprehensive spatial planning for two villages in Azerbaijan's liberated territories, supported by UN-Habitat, in order to create more sustainable and balanced villages, as well as the implementation and localization of the SDGs. This is UN-Habitat's contribution to Azerbaijan's reconstruction processes. It also includes the development of certain guiding principles for villages or settlements, with a focus on the localization of the SDGs," she said.


By Nazrin Sadigova