BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Over 455,000 buildings have been constructed in Türkiye’s earthquake-prone areas, Hasan Suver, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, made the remarks during the conference “Strengthening Urban Earthquake Preparedness: UN Solutions for Safer and More Sustainable Cities”, at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), Trend reports.
He emphasized that the construction efforts extend beyond residential buildings, encompassing complex living spaces with integrated infrastructure, social facilities, green areas, energy-efficient designs, and environmentally sustainable approaches.
“Financial instruments are also critical in strengthening urban resilience. In this context, the social housing initiative, targeting 500,000 units across 81 provinces and 100,000 units in Istanbul, supports access to safe and affordable housing,” he said.
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 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.
