BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Today's discussions have once again demonstrated that the New Urban Agenda remains as relevant as ever, Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan and National Coordinator of WUF13, said during the closing session of the "Ministerial Meeting on the New Urban Agenda (NUA)" held within the framework of WUF13 in Baku, Trend reports.
According to the national coordinator, despite 10 years having passed since its adoption, the New Urban Agenda document continues to provide a common framework for addressing the most pressing challenges of our time—such as inequality, inadequate housing, informal settlements, climate risks, infrastructure deficiencies, forced displacement, as well as the need for more inclusive, productive, and sustainable urban development.
"At the same time, today's discussions clearly demonstrated that the next decade must be characterized as an implementation phase. We heard strong messages regarding the vital importance of placing adequate housing at the center of sustainable urban development. The significance of linking housing with land, basic services, transport, employment, public spaces, financing, and climate action was highly emphasized," Guliyev said.
He underscored that this ministerial meeting is not an isolated event. It is part of the path leading from Baku to New York, and a key component of the process moving from the World Urban Forum to the High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly dedicated to the mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda, to be held in July.
