BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Discussing the sustainable development of the Amazon remains entirely impossible without directly addressing the issues of urbanization, social inclusion, and population vulnerability, said Antônio da Costa e Silva, a representative of the Ministry of Cities of Brazil,Trend reports.
He made the remarks during a session titled "Stories from the Climate Frontlines" held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
"People spoke extensively about the devastating floods in southern Brazil, yet last year the Amazon basin faced an unprecedented drought. Individuals who typically navigated rivers by boat had to walk on foot across dried riverbeds just to secure water supplies and reach schools. Our life completely turned upside down because one of the regions containing the world's largest reserves of natural water resources suddenly lacked water entirely. This is the stark reality we confront. This is precisely why Brazil, in coordination with other Amazonian nations, initiated a series of measures targeting these structural challenges," da Costa e Silva pointed out.
He noted that these initiatives rely on a multilevel and multisectoral governance framework aimed at uniting the voices of cities that experience similar environmental strains and possess the capacity to assist one another.
"To achieve this, we established the Amazon Cities Forum in 2023. Subsequently, recognizing the necessity of a broader regional methodology, we also organized the Forum of Ministers of Housing and Urbanization of the Amazon Countries to systematically resolve these issues at both the national and local levels. Naturally, the regional tier always retains its critical importance when dealing with the Amazon. Fortunately, I believe we already possess the institutional frameworks actively working on these mechanisms," the official stated.
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.
