BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Located at the crossroads of East and West, North and South, Azerbaijan has managed to turn its geographical location into a strategic advantage, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at the event “Cities at the Heart of Connectivity: Urban Regeneration and Regional Cooperation,” held in Baku as part of the WUF13.
“We no longer view our role simply as that of a transit country, but as a hub for regional integration, sustainable urban development, and interregional cooperation.
Our experience shows that transport links, infrastructure, and urban development are closely intertwined,” he said.
The minister added that modern transport corridors have a direct impact on the formation of settlements, industrial development, labor migration, investment flows, housing demand, and climate resilience.
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.
