BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. The 13th session of the World Forum of Cities (WUF13) enables strengthening actions on the housing crisis, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock said in her address at the opening ceremony of WUF13 in Baku, Trend reports.
"Affordable, safe, and decent housing is a fundamental human right. It's the foundation of dignity, health, security, and opportunity. Yet today, this foundation remains inaccessible to too many people: more than 1.1 billion people still live in informal settlements or slums, and more than 300 million are homeless," she said.
Baerbock noted that the consequences extend far beyond housing itself.
"Without safe housing, health deteriorates, education is disrupted, insecurity increases, inequality is entrenched, and communities become more vulnerable to climate shocks and disasters. That's why the 13th session of the World Urban Forum is taking place at an important time. It offers an opportunity to strengthen action on the housing crisis while linking this work to the broader goal of sustainable urbanization," she said.
According to her, there are no easy solutions to a crisis of this magnitude. Building more homes is necessary, but it alone isn't enough. A systems approach is needed that integrates housing with infrastructure, basic services, climate resilience, financing, and inclusive planning.
"This approach also depends on broad participation, as sustainable urban development cannot be achieved by governments alone. It requires the participation of local authorities, communities, civil society, the private sector, and experts, as well as residents themselves, so that they can help shape the cities they live in. Indeed, people should be seen not only as beneficiaries of development but also as active participants in this process.
In this regard, the new urban agenda remains our shared roadmap. Its focus on inclusive, safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly cities is as relevant today as it was 10 years ago when it was adopted. This anniversary provides an opportunity to assess where progress has been made, where gaps remain, and how implementation can be accelerated. In July, the General Assembly will hold a two-day high-level meeting for a midterm review of the new urban agenda," Baerbock said.
According to her, this meeting will provide an opportunity to renew political commitments and strengthen implementation.
"I hope the discussions at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum will be meaningful, inclusive, and practical, and will help prepare the way for the negotiations on the political declaration in New York. I wish you a successful forum and look forward to seeing many of you in New York in July," she concluded.
