BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Climate resilience and inclusive urbanization are key national priorities for Azerbaijan, Deputy Head of the State Committee for Urban Development and Architecture, Gulshan Rzayeva, said during a dialogue entitled "The Global Housing Crisis: What 's the Plan?" held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Trend reports
"Climate resilience and inclusive urbanization are key national priorities for Azerbaijan and are fully integrated into our national priorities, 'Azerbaijan 2017.' We view urban planning as a strategic tool for bridging social gaps and managing rapid growth," she said.
According to her, one of the most striking examples of the application of the New Urban Agenda principles is the "Great Return" program in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.
"In these territories, which suffered destruction and damage during the occupation for nearly 30 years, large-scale restoration and development work is underway.
The principles of the New Urban Agenda and the new approach to urban planning have truly become the foundation of our projects and planning activities in these territories. They are built with an emphasis on sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience: smart cities and smart villages, green energy zones, and climate-sensitive planning have been at the core of this process from the very beginning," noted Rzayeva.
The third day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) is underway in Baku.
On the first day, a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a roundtable of ministers, assemblies of women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban well-being were held. A ceremony for raising the flags of the United Nations and Azerbaijan also took place within the framework of the forum.
The second day of the forum drew attention with the first-ever Leaders Summit. High-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience were held that day. At the same time, the Mexico City pavilion was inaugurated within the framework of WUF13. The pavilion was presented as an important platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
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.
