BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Housing construction should not be viewed in isolation, but rather as part of the creation of a comprehensive living environment that includes infrastructure, planning, and community participation, Tamara Paseyro, Uruguay’s Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, said, Trend reports.
Addressing the session “A New Deal for Housing Finance,” held as part of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Paseyro noted that housing construction and the creation of a comfortable urban environment are interconnected processes.
“Housing construction also means creating a living environment. These are not two separate things, nor are they processes that follow one after the other,” the minister said. She noted that the absence of effective policies in the areas of land planning and housing allocation can lead to segregation and social isolation.
“If we do not properly address issues of land, its location, and planning, we may formally reduce the housing shortage but fail to solve the problem in practice. This leads to segregation, exclusion, and fragmentation,” Tamara Paseyro emphasized.
The minister stated that Uruguay is building its housing policy around three key pillars: the efficient use of land resources and their allocation, public-private financing, and the state’s institutional capacity.
“When these three components are aligned, we can achieve affordable housing,” she said.
According to the minister, housing policy in Uruguay is viewed as a tool for social cohesion and the empowerment of citizens. “It is a right that opens the door to other rights,” she noted.
She also emphasized the importance of local community participation in the implementation of development projects. The minister explained that in Uruguay, as part of neighborhood improvement programs, special committees are formed that include technical experts, construction companies, and community representatives.
“There are practical issues related to sewage, lighting, and road infrastructure, but there are other aspects that are important to discuss with residents,” she noted.
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.
