Parvana Valiyeva, Member of the Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations Committee of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Next year, Azerbaijan will host another prestigious UN event — the 13th session of the World Urban Forum. This Forum was established by the UN in 2001 and is the largest non-legislative event of the United Nations. Since 2002, it has been organized by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) based in Kenya and has been held across five continents.


Typically, 35–40,000 people participate in these events. In terms of scale, the World Urban Forums are considered the third largest UN platform after Climate Conferences and sessions of the UN General Assembly, and they have made significant contributions to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 11.

Today, in the world, three billion people live in inadequate housing, 1.1 billion people reside in informal settlements and shelters, and more than 300 million are homeless. All of this creates health, safety, and economic problems.

Today, Azerbaijan is a safe, peaceful and growing developing country and has an extensive experience in holding various large scale international events. Formula 1, Eurovision song contest, European Olympic Games, Islamic Solidarity Games etc. Last year, more than 190 international events were held in Azerbaijan, addressing global issues.


The World Urban Forum, to be held next year on 17–22 May in Baku, is based on the concept of “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities. The WUF13 program features prominent speakers, strategic dialogues, partner-led events and an urban exhibition.

WUF13 aimed to elevate housing crisis globally which ensure it is a top policy priority. It will showcase practical solutions and best practices. It will build partnerships and encourage commitments (financing, policies, pledges), also deliver clear outcomes, like WUF13 Perspectives, Report & Baku Call to Action.

Housing affordability remains a key factor in preventing homelessness, and restoration and reconstruction efforts in crisis zones are an urgent priority. Azerbaijan’s reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories and the state program on the “Great Return” serve as a real-life example of applying the principles of UN-Habitat and the WUF12 outcome document — the Cairo Declaration.


The goal is not only to rebuild homes and cities, but also to provide people with a safe, inclusive, and sustainable future. Today, Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur are emerging not only as part of Azerbaijan but also as a new model space for the global urbanization agenda. These territories will be net-zero carbon emissions territories. Smart cities, smart villages concepts – smart cloud system, online health services, fiber-optic fast internet connections, smart management of the transport are provided in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur regions of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s modern urban development experience is not limited to Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Contemporary urban planning in the capital Baku, modern transport and infrastructure projects in the regions, the establishment of ecological parks, and the creation of socially oriented residential complexes illustrate the overall urbanization vision of our country.

Azerbaijan will present its own initiatives during this event. For the first time, a Leaders’ Summit will be held within the Forum. Heads of state and government from UN member countries will participate in this summit to exchange views on global housing issues and sustainable urban development.


The main participants will be research institutions, think tanks, delegations of member states, representatives of the private sector, civil society, and experts. Participants will be able to expand their networks and build partnerships by meeting city leaders, policymakers, and innovators from around the world. The predominance of participants from the African region previous years demonstrates that this Forum is a credible platform for highlighting the urbanization and housing challenges of the Global South.

The main goals of the Forum in Baku are to present practical solutions and best practices for overcoming global housing challenges, increase political and financial commitments, and deliver concrete outcomes for the WUF13 agenda through the Baku Call.

WUF13 will present the “Baku Call to Action” — an action-oriented declaration addressing the urgency of the global housing crisis. The event will foster global cooperation and contribute to international policy discussions.