BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Housing policy must be formulated by taking into account the actual role of metropolitan areas, as modern housing systems, transport, and infrastructure function far beyond the administrative boundaries of individual municipalities, said Fiona McCluney, Head of the Policy and Legislation Section of the Global Solutions Division at UN-Habitat, Trend reports.
She made the remark during a panel discussion titled "Launching the Barcelona Metropolitan Declaration: Bold Commitments to Addressing the Housing Crisis at a Metropolitan Scale" held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
"People live, work, and move across municipal borders daily, while housing markets, transport systems, infrastructure networks, and land issues are not confined to administrative frameworks," she said.
According to McCluney, existing governance mechanisms, financing, and institutional mandates remain fragmented and do not correspond to the scale of contemporary urban challenges.
"Metropolitan governance is important because it allows for bridging the gap between housing supply and demand, as well as reducing unequal access to services and infrastructure," she noted.
She emphasized that a lack of coordination at the metropolitan level contributes to urban sprawl, rising housing prices, and increased spatial inequality.
"Addressing these issues at the metropolitan level is not additional bureaucracy, but a mechanism for better coordination, integration, and long-term territorial planning," McCluney stated.
According to her, metropolitan areas must participate not only in the implementation of housing policy but also in its formulation, including matters of planning, land management, financing, and project implementation mechanisms.
McCluney also informed that within the framework of the Metro Hub Global Programme, UN-Habitat supports the development of metropolitan governance, strategic planning, legislation, and financing mechanisms across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe.
"Integrated approaches that unite housing policy with land management, mobility, infrastructure, climate resilience, and service delivery are becoming increasingly important," she added.
She noted that the Barcelona Metropolitan Declaration is a timely initiative because it shifts the discussion on the housing crisis from diagnosing problems to the practical implementation of solutions.
Meanwhile, the third day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) is underway in Baku.
On the first day, a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a roundtable of ministers, assemblies of women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban well-being were held. A ceremony for raising the flags of the United Nations and Azerbaijan also took place within the framework of the forum.
The second day of the forum drew attention with the first-ever Leaders Summit. High-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience were held that day. At the same time, the Mexico City pavilion was inaugurated within the framework of WUF13. The pavilion was presented as an important platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
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.
