BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Azerbaijan is building smart and sustainable cities in the liberated territories, based on modern urban planning principles, Chairman of the State Migration Service, Vusal Huseynov, said, Trend reports.
He made the announcement during the panel discussion ''Migration and Cities: A Framework for Safe, Innovative and Sustainable Governance,” held as part of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13).
Vusal Huseynov noted that Azerbaijan is currently facing a new reality as part of the “Great Return” program, which involves the return of former internally displaced persons to their homelands.
“Following the liberation of our territories, Azerbaijan has embarked on one of the largest reconstruction and development programs in the region. Entirely new cities and settlements are being created,” he said.
Huseynov emphasized that these cities are being designed as smart, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban spaces.
“We are confident that these cities will serve as platforms for building strong human capital and will maximize the potential of migration-driven development,” added the chairman of the State Migration Service.
He also noted that Azerbaijan attaches particular importance to strengthening the synergy between migration and urban development agendas.
“Azerbaijan will continue its efforts to develop cooperation and support inclusive governance frameworks,” Huseynov emphasized.
Today, the fourth day of the WUF13 conference is taking place in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
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.
