BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. The issue of housing is of critical importance in the post-crisis recovery process from both a social and economic perspective, but achieving successful results in this area requires taking into account the specific conditions of each country and region, Founding Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies and Professor at the Doha Institute for Advanced Studies in Doha, Qatar, Professor Sultan Barakat said, Trend reports.
Addressing the event on “Housing at the Centre of Crisis Recovery and Reconstruction,” held as part of WUF13, Barakat noted that housing policy should be shaped in accordance with specific conditions, rather than based on global and general approaches.
“We all understand that housing is at the heart of the recovery process. It is also one of the main components of the economy of a country undergoing a period of recovery. The social value of housing is also undeniable. However, the main question is how to realize it. To do this, we must adopt an approach tailored to each specific context and move away from general and stereotypical approaches to the housing problem,” he emphasized.
According to the professor, if a country has reached a political agreement, has a peace accord in place, has achieved a certain degree of stability, and the government supports the permanent resettlement of the population in specific areas, the reconstruction process is easier to carry out.
“In such circumstances, the issue boils down more to choosing the right strategies and technical approaches. However, in disputed territories or in conflict situations accompanied by objectives such as ethnic cleansing or the seizure of foreign lands, the situation becomes more complex,” he noted.
“The humanitarian approach makes it possible to save lives and avoid responsibility for political consequences. However, in some cases, it also carries the risk of indirectly legitimizing certain injustices or political consequences that do not fully comply with international law,” he said.
In his view, one of the main drawbacks of this approach is the weakening of people’s initiative and decision-making capacity.
“Two key factors are necessary for the implementation of housing provision: the will and initiative of people to act in concert with their governments, municipalities, and other partners, as well as the availability of the necessary resources,” the professor emphasized.
S. Barakat noted that the current humanitarian system is more focused on saving people’s lives but pays less attention to maintaining their motivation, organizational capacity, and confidence in the future.
“The initial technical work should be carried out precisely here. From the very first day of forced displacement, the main focus should be on how we will rebuild everything in the future. Because that is the main issue that concerns people,” he said.
According to the professor, families of internally displaced persons begin to think about the future and reconstruction as soon as they achieve stability.
“We must not allow a gap to develop between the moment people begin to think about recovery and our planning processes. Even modest measures in the early stages should strengthen people’s capacity for self-organization, sustain their motivation, and prevent their marginalization. This will significantly contribute to their progress,” Barakat added.
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 Program 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.
