BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Following the
resolution of the conflict, Azerbaijan has directed approximately
$15 billion toward its comprehensive regional reconstruction
program, allocating roughly 25% of its national state budget
annually to these strategic tasks, Yalchin Rafiyev, Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, said, Trend reports.


He made the remark during a session titled "Housing at the
Centre of Crisis Recovery and Reconstruction" held within the
framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in
Baku.


According to him, the severe concentration of landmines and
unexploded ordnance (UXO) across conflict-affected zones continues
to act as a major structural barrier preventing the initiation of
recovery and physical rehabilitation workflows in multiple
countries.


The deputy minister noted that for Azerbaijan, mine
contamination remains one of the most pressing national challenges,
rendering the establishment of a completely secure physical
environment a mandatory prerequisite before any core rebuilding
processes can commence.


Rafiyev emphasized that an estimated 1.5 million landmines
across the liberated territories require systematic clearing to
guarantee public safety, a massive operational bottleneck without
which large-scale residential and infrastructure development
remains impossible to execute.


"We can possess highly favorable financial portfolios and
optimal political conditions, but as long as these territories
remain heavily contaminated by landmines, executing the broader
recovery and reconstruction trajectory to its full extent remains
structurally impossible," he pointed out.


According to him, Azerbaijan is successfully pioneering a global
model for post-conflict rehabilitation by systematically
implementing the international "Building Back Better" paradigm.


"Regional reconstruction must extend far beyond simply restoring
past infrastructure configurations; it must target the cultivation
of deeply resilient, climate-adaptive ecosystems that fully comply
with modern smart urban planning standards," the deputy minister
concluded.


Today marks the fifth 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.


One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a
sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and
the Turkish city of Trabzon.


The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events
dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban
development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.


One of the important events of the UN Special Programme for the
Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth
day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the
“Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart
Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”


Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s
initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and
Decision-Making” was held.


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.