BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 3. On 30 January
2026, an international online event dedicated to WUF13 was held
with the participation of 32 parliamentarians from 30 countries,
Trend reports.


The event focused on “Role of Parliament in Advancing Resilient
Cities and Sustainable Urban Development."


The main purpose of the event was to brief participants on the
main objectives and programme of WUF13 as well as to encourage the
participation of parliaments in WUF13.


The event was organized at the initiative of Parvana Valiyeva, a
member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Global
Changemakers Academy for Parliamentarians (GCAP), in cooperation
with the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.
Alongside parliamentarians, representatives of UN-Habitat and other
specialized agencies also participated.


At the opening remarks, Member of Parliament Parvana Valiyeva
expressed her gratitude to her international counterparts for
supporting the initiative and for their participation in the
meeting dedicated to WUF13. As a special guest at the opening
session, the Hon. Cozier Frederick, Minister of the Environment,
Rural Modernisation, and Kalinago Upliftment of the Commonwealth of
Dominica, addressed the participants, sharing insights into the
urbanization experiences of small island states, the challenges
they face, and the steps taken by the Parliament of Dominica in
developing building standards, zoning regulations, and planning
systems.







During the event, the State Committee for Urban Planning and
Architecture presented an overview of WUF13, outlining Azerbaijan’s
new initiatives within the forum, including a Summit with
participation of heads of states and governments which will be
organized for the first time in the World Urban Forum. The
importance of parliamentary diplomacy in urban development forums
was also emphasized.


Foreign parliamentarians participating in the discussion
commended Azerbaijan for hosting WUF13 and for its rich urban
development experience, and they submitted a joint appeal to the
WUF13 National Coordinator, which states:


“We, parliamentarians representing 30 countries, recognize that
cities lie at the heart of today’s most urgent global challenges
and, at the same time, they are key element to address them. Rapid
urbanization, climate risks, inequality, forced displacement, and
the growing global housing crisis demand coordinated political
leadership, legislative action, and sustained investment. We
reaffirm that parliaments play a critical role in translating
global urban commitments into national laws, policies, and
financing mechanisms. We express our strong support for the
Republic of Azerbaijan as the host of WUF13 and commend
Azerbaijan’s commitment to promoting global dialogue on sustainable
urbanization and positioning cities as drivers of resilience,
peace, and inclusive development.”


Parliamentarians are one of the key stakeholder groups of the
World Urban Forum.