BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. A panel discussion on topic “Addressing the Global Housing Crisis Together” was held on January 15-16, 2026, as part of the 35th High-Level Meeting organized by Nizami Ganjavi International Center in partnership with The United Nations Office in Geneva, Trend reports.
The panel featured Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan, WUF13 National Coordinator and Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The event, themed “Reshaping Multilateralism in an Era of Divides and Transformation,” gathered more than 50 high-level international participants representing more than 30 countries.
The urgency of collective action to uphold human rights, international law and public goods, highlighting the central role of ensuring adequate housing in sustainable urban development was underscored during the panel as outlined in the UN-Habitat 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. During the discussions, emphasis was put on the importance of translating global commitments into concrete actions and accelerating solutions that ensure safe, affordable and resilient housing for all.
In his remarks, WUF13 National Coordinator Anar Guliyev mentioned that multilateralism is the most effective approach to addressing global challenges that no country can solve alone, including climate change, rapid urbanization, inequality and sustainable development. He stressed the crucial role of cities and human settlements as key spaces where global solutions are transformed into practical action.
He further noted that Azerbaijan’s cities and infrastructure, located at the crossroads of East and West, North and South, serve as bridges connecting regions and societies. Speaking on the large-scale reconstruction and integrated urban development projects in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur, Anar Guliyev emphasized that these initiatives are not only aimed at rebuilding territories but also at contributing to long-term peace, stability, and regional cooperation. Finally, the National Coordinator invited his international counterparts to participate in The Thirteenth Session of The World Urban Forum, scheduled to take place in Baku, May 17-22, 2026.
Senior leadership and representatives of prominent organizations such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Trade Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS also took part in the meeting.
Organized by Nizami Ganjavi International center in partnership with UN Office in Geneva, the high-level meeting serves as a significant international platform for strengthening multilateral cooperation and addressing key global agenda issues.
