WUF13 to become key platform for setting housing priorities for next decade

WUF13 will serve as the main platform for assessing countries' progress on commitments and for setting housing priorities for the next decade, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Anaclaudia Rossbach, said during an online briefing for regional media on WUF13, the largest UN global conference on sustainable urbanization, which will be held in Baku May 17-22, 2026, Report informs.

"WUF13 will be more than a conference. It will be a checkpoint allowing countries and partners to assess completed commitments, identify gaps, and determine priorities for providing adequate housing over the next decade," she said.

Rossbach noted that the forum"s theme will be housing under the motto "Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities", reflecting the urgency of the global housing crisis.

"Nearly 3 billion people live in inadequate housing conditions, over 1 billion in informal settlements and slums. More than 300 million people face homelessness. This crisis is worsening, undermining human dignity, safety, health, and productivity in cities worldwide," Rossbach said.

She emphasized that the lack of adequate housing leaves millions vulnerable to climate risks, particularly those living in informal settlements. More than 60% of internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrants seek shelter in cities, placing additional strain on housing systems.

"WUF13 will put housing at the center of the global agenda, considering it not only as a basic human right but also as the foundation for inclusive, climate-resilient, and crisis-adaptive development," she highlighted.

Rossbach also noted that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the global urban agenda, marking 10 years since the adoption of the New Urban Agenda at Habitat III in Quito in 2016.

"The UN Secretary-General will present an interim review of its implementation, marking a critical step in shaping the next decade of action through 2036. In addition, progress on Sustainable Development Goal 11, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities," will be reviewed at the UN High-Level Political Forum in July 2026, and the UN General Assembly will hold a high-level meeting on the New Urban Agenda," she concluded.