BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Azerbaijan is an example in urban transformation and affordable housing provision, co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Ismail Serageldin, told Trend on the sidelines of WUF13.
He noted that Azerbaijan's hosting of representatives from different countries of the world at this large forum is of great importance in terms of discussing the global housing crisis, exchanging experiences, and renewing commitments to solving problems.
"I think that Azerbaijan has undoubtedly welcomed this large forum from all countries of the world, gathered here to discuss the global housing crisis, share experiences, and renew our commitment to solving these problems. For Azerbaijan, being a meeting place of East and West, North and South, and bringing together the best of the world isn't new," he explained.
He added that this reflects Azerbaijan's position and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's leadership at the international level, as well as people's belief that the best solutions will be found through this forum.
"Every country can learn from the experience of other countries. Azerbaijan has experience of reconstruction after the war, and this is of particular importance. We heard in the panel discussions that Bosnia also needs to reconstruct," Serageldin said.
He emphasized that this experience is generally available.
"More importantly, Azerbaijan shows how Baku has been transformed, how other cities have been transformed, and how affordable and accessible housing for different income groups can be achieved," the center's co-chair mentioned.
Answering a question about the role of women, Serageldin recalled that in 1999 she co-authored a book for the World Bank called "Social Capital" and explained the concepts of human capital and social capital.
"Human capital is the resources that are invested in you, such as your education, your health, etc. If you move to another place, you take it with you. Social capital is the relationships that hold a society together and make it work.
"Women are a key factor in the formation of social capital, and microfinance experiences have proven this repeatedly," he concluded.
Today marks the fifth 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.
One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and the Turkish city of Trabzon.
The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.
One of the important events of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the “Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”
Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and Decision-Making” was held.
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.
