BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. A territorial approach can only be effective through real interaction between national and subnational authorities, the National Director for Territorial Planning of Uruguay, Paola Florio, said during the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments: Local Leadership Shaping a Renewed Multilateralism, held within the framework of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
"Real transformations happen on the ground, and it is the local authorities, who are part of the national system, that in many cases develop and implement public policies directly affecting people's lives," Florio said. "The challenges we face—such as access to housing, inequality, climate change, urban degradation, environmental protection, and resilience—cannot be resolved solely by external or national policies."
According to her, this requires comprehensive and coordinated implementation across different levels of government.
"In this process, territorial planning has taken center stage and has become an essential part of the government's ministerial work. For Uruguay, territorial planning is not just a technical or regulatory tool; it is a strategic public policy aimed at sustainable development, the prevention of conflicts, inequality, and territorial imbalances, as well as a more just and efficient use of land and resources. It is also a fundamental tool for aligning housing policies," she noted.
Florio pointed out that Uruguay's experience demonstrates that a territorial approach can only be effective when there is genuine interaction between national and subnational authorities, alongside proper coordination with social, academic, and humanitarian structures.
"Such interaction must not remain merely an institutional aspiration. It must transform into a concrete tool for planning, investing, and operating territories with greater resilience," she concluded.
