Anaclaudia Rossbach: WUF13 in Baku will be a milestone for Azerbaijan's urban development

Representatives of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) are actively cooperating with the government of Azerbaijan in preparation for the successful hosting of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku in 2026, Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, told Report.

"I am directly involved in the preparation for WUF13. During my visit to Baku, I had the opportunity to hold talks with the Azerbaijani authorities. My team, in turn, has already carried out two or three missions to the country as part of the event’s preparations. So we are constantly working on building an excellent platform for stakeholders. We believe this urban forum will be significant not only for the global urban community but also for Azerbaijan," Rossbach emphasized.

She recalled that the 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) was held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 4 to 8, 2024.

"The previous forum took place last year in Cairo. There, we had a week of engagement with local stakeholders. So we really hope that we will have the opportunity to discuss urban issues in Azerbaijan with local stakeholders before and during the forum. We also hope the forum will leave a lasting legacy for the country," the UN-Habitat Executive Director noted.

Responding to a question about the impact of WUF13 on accelerating construction and restoration efforts in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, Anaclaudia Rossbach stated that the forum "will be a stimulus for the development of settlements, cities, and urbanized areas throughout the country."

"Here at the summit [at the International Climate Forum on April 4–5 in Samarkand], we were just discussing the importance of addressing environmental sustainability and a people-centered approach. These are key elements of the new urban development agenda. We believe that through the forum [WUF13], we will bring knowledge, expertise, and know-how, and be able to engage with local stakeholders to contribute to sustainable urban development," she said.

In December 2023, an agreement was signed between the government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations (UN) to hold the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku in 2026.