BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. For the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF), Azerbaijan has initiated and hosted the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnerships and Decision-Making”, Trend reports.
Speaking at the event, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach said that experiences, perspectives, and diverse approaches must be brought together. According to her, countries need to learn how to work collectively at both local and urban levels.
Rossbach also noted that Azerbaijan has carried out significant work in the field of urban development.
“We thank Azerbaijan for hosting this event. This is a historic moment and a significant occasion,” she said.
Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, emphasized in his remarks that the construction and restoration efforts in the territories liberated from occupation represent a major mission.
He noted that a new chapter of history is being written in areas contaminated by landmines.
“Unfortunately, in the 20th century, cities were destroyed before our eyes, and nine of our cities were deliberately razed to the ground. Aghdam, for example, was referred to as the ‘Hiroshima of the Caucasus.’ A city that was once home to hundreds of thousands of people had been completely destroyed. Today, we are building a new life in these territories for our citizens. Azerbaijan is truly one of the most appropriate venues for this Urban Forum. We are ready to share our experience and learn from the experiences of others,” he said.
Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, stated that NGOs often serve as trusted intermediaries between communities and institutions.
“They also help identify and bring attention to practical solutions that are often overlooked,” she said.
Al-Khatib added that, in cooperation with UNESCO and UN-Habitat, special attention is being paid to heritage preservation, climate action, urban resilience, and reconstruction efforts. She also highlighted disaster risk reduction training programs.
“To date, we have conducted training initiatives reaching people in 168 countries and thousands of communities,” she emphasized.
Christian Mensah, former Secretary of the UN-Habitat Executive Board and Head of the Intergovernmental Relations Department, said Azerbaijan has become an important platform for international cooperation. He stressed that NGOs and civil society institutions should actively participate in ongoing processes and be broadly represented.
Former Kuala Lumpur mayor and former UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, currently an adviser to the Malaysian government on sustainable urbanization, as well as Aygun Aliyeva, Chairperson of the Board of the Azerbaijan State Support Agency for NGOs, and Luis Gallegos Chiriboga, Deputy Secretary-General for Latin America of the Global South NGO Platform (GSNP), also addressed the forum.
In their remarks, speakers discussed the role of NGOs, their active involvement in decision-making processes, and the significance of WUF13.
The event continued with panel discussions.
