Cities are facing challenges, including climate change, the energy transition, transportation challenges, urbanization, and technological transformation, Anna Soave, Head of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Office in Azerbaijan, said at an awareness session organized for the private sector on the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Report informs.
According to her, Azerbaijan's private sector can actively participate in the global platform within the framework of WUF13: "Cities are shaped not only by architects and urban planning specialists, but also by innovative solutions brought by businesses, investments, and people's expectations. WUF13 is an open global platform where government agencies, investors, scientists, companies, and civil society come together. This platform provides an opportunity to jointly shape the future of cities."
Soave noted that currently more than up to 3 billion people worldwide struggle to afford a place to live, and 1.12 billion live in slums or informal settlements without basic services: "These realities seriously affect people's health, safety, and economic productivity. At the same time, urban development is regarded as one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time."