BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The federal
government of Mexico and the municipal administration of Mexico
City are officially launching structural preparations for the 14th
session of the World Urban Forum (WUF14) immediately following the
successful conclusion of the Baku summit, Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to Azerbaijan María Victoria Romero
Caballero said, Trend
reports.


She made the remarks during the official closing press
conference of the 13th session of the United Nations World Urban
Forum (WUF13) in Baku, where she extended formal congratulations to
the government of Azerbaijan.


"On behalf of Mexico and the government of Mexico City, I
congratulate Azerbaijan on the exceptionally successful hosting of
WUF13," the ambassador stated.


Romero Caballero directed targeted praise toward the localized
organizational workflows and the highly efficient contribution of
national volunteer networks. "We witnessed firsthand the incredible
hospitality of the Azerbaijani people. The young men and women,
particularly the volunteers, guided our delegations at every step,
streamlining workflow operations and facilitating critical policy
exchanges. We also extend our gratitude to UN-Habitat for enabling
such a meaningful and productive platform for our delegation," she
said.


The ambassador emphasized that the immense geopolitical weight
of the Baku forum mirrored the unprecedented high-level composition
of the Mexican delegation sent to Azerbaijan. The state assembly in
Baku featured Mexico’s Federal Minister of Urban Development, the
Governor of Mexico City, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and a comprehensive cohort of legislative and regulatory colleagues
representing both federal and localized governance tiers.


"Starting this afternoon, Mexico officially shifts its
operational focus toward WUF14. Our coordination teams are carrying
this vital mandate back to our country immediately, anchored by an
unyielding institutional commitment to sustain the high
organizational benchmark established here in Baku," Romero
Caballero announced.


According to the diplomat, the Mexico City government team will
immediately activate coordination mechanisms with UN-Habitat to
outline the foundational architecture of WUF14. The immediate joint
agenda centers on engineering robust bilateral cooperation
mechanisms, formalizing municipal governance models, mapping out
macro-strategic development priorities, and locking in engagement

"WUF14 marks the historic return of the World Urban Forum to the
Latin American region after a 14-year hiatus, following the
milestone session previously hosted in Medellín, Colombia," the
ambassador underscored. "Crucially, we must recognize that WUF14
will operate as the absolute final World Urban Forum cycle hosted
before the critical United Nations 2030 deadline, which invests
this upcoming summit with monumental global significance," she
concluded.


Today marks the final day of the 13th session of the World Urban
Forum (WUF13).


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.


The fifth day of WUF13 continued discussions on the global
housing crisis, the creation of safe and inclusive cities, climate
resilience, the use of artificial intelligence in urban management,
green urbanization, and social equality.


One of the important events of the UN Special Program 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.