BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Panama is seeking to strengthen its relations with Azerbaijan and learn from the country’s experience in urban planning, reconstruction, and the reintegration of internally displaced persons, Panamanian Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning Jaime Giovanelli, told Trend on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
He said relations between Panama and Azerbaijan are currently at a high level, with both sides aiming to further expand cooperation.
“Our relations are very strong. We want to further strengthen these relations and we have a lot to learn,” he said.
Giovanelli noted that the Panamanian delegation visited Baku specifically to study international experience and observe urban reconstruction processes firsthand.
“We came here to see the experiences, to learn how problems are solved and how cities are rebuilt,” he said.
He also highlighted remarks by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the return of internally displaced persons and the reconstruction of liberated territories, saying these issues were of particular interest.
“It was very interesting for me that President Ilham Aliyev spoke about restoring housing solutions for internally displaced persons, their return to their native places, and people contributing to the revival of their cities,” Giovanelli said.
The minister added that Azerbaijan’s experience in this field serves as an important model for Panama to study and potentially adapt.
In the mean time, 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.
