BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The 13th session of
the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13), held in Baku, was the largest
forum in its history, Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee
on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan
said at the official closing ceremony of the 13th session of the UN
World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Trend reports.


Guliyev emphasized that the 13th UN World Urban Forum (WUF13)
demonstrated a strong political commitment to addressing the global
housing crisis.


He noted that WUF13 went down in history as a landmark forum
that placed the housing issue at the center of the global urban
agenda and reaffirmed the idea that access to affordable, safe, and
sustainable housing is a fundamental human right.


“The discussions held during the Forum demonstrated that housing
is not only a fundamental human need but also the foundation for
dignity, resilience, social integration, economic opportunities,
and sustainable urban development. The 13th World Urban Forum also
emphasized that addressing the global housing crisis requires an
effective multilateral approach, strengthened partnerships,
innovative financing mechanisms, and coordinated action at all
levels.

This forum will be remembered not only for its scale, but also for
its innovative formats, inclusive participation, and concrete
results. The “Leaders’ Statement” session, organized for the first
time in the history of the World Urban Forum at the initiative of
President Ilham Aliyev, was one of the most significant moments of
the 13th World Urban Forum. The participation of 27 heads of state
and government, high-ranking guests, and heads of international
organizations in the session demonstrated a firm political will to
advance the global urban agenda, strengthen international
cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development, and
ensure adequate housing for all and sustainable communities.”


Guliyev noted that another significant achievement of WUF13 was
the ministerial meeting, held in a revamped format under
Azerbaijan’s chairmanship to assess the implementation of the New
Urban Agenda: “Of the 111 countries participating in the event, 80
were represented at the ministerial level.” The thematic panels
organized following the meeting created a more interactive and
problem-solving-oriented platform for dialogue on issues of
housing, climate change, sustainable development, social
integration, and international cooperation.”


The extensive exchange of views during the discussions and the
practical recommendations put forward made an important
contribution to the drafting of the Chair’s summary and provided
additional momentum to the process of reviewing the city’s new
agenda at the high-level meeting to be held on the margins of the
UN General Assembly later this year.


I would like to note that the Chair’s Summary, which will be
published later, reflects a number of key points. The 13th World
Urban Forum was the largest forum in history. The event brought
together more than 24,044 participants from 176 countries,
demonstrating the power of inclusive dialogue.


Ministers highly commended the innovative approaches applied in
the preparation of the 13th World Urban Forum, as well as the
session featuring statements by leaders, organized for the first
time in the forum’s history, and welcomed the intention of
Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat to collaborate on developing operational
guidelines for countries that will host future World Urban Forums,”
Anar Guliyev emphasized.