BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The mine threat in Azerbaijan's Karabakh and East Zangezur will remain one of the main challenges of the region for many years, Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for the Aghdam, Fuzuli and Khojavand districts, Emin Huseynov, said, Trend reports.
The official made the remark at the event "From Urbicide to Revival: Sustainable Reconstruction, Resettlement, and Development in Azerbaijan’s Liberated Territories" held within the framework of WUF13.
He noted that the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts are extensively contaminated with mines due to their location along the line of contact, which had existed for 30 years.
"In order to start the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction, demining work should have been carried out first. In the past five years, about 60% of the Aghdam district, 78% of the Fuzuli district, and 16% of the Khojavand district have been cleared of mines," he pointed out.
Huseynov stressed that despite the results achieved, the mine problem hasn't yet been completely eliminated.
"This is a fundamental problem and will continue to exist in the coming years. We must take this reality into account, pay special attention to security issues, and keep the protection of human lives as a top priority," he added.
The special representative also noted that demining work is one of the main conditions for the restoration of settlements, the return of people to their native lands, and the resumption of economic activity.
Today marks the final day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
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.
The fifth day of WUF13 continued discussions on the global housing crisis, the creation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, the use of artificial intelligence in urban management, green urbanization, and social equality.
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.
