The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) will take place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in May 2026, according to an announcement made Friday at the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly underway in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
NAIROBI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) will take place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in May 2026, according to an announcement made Friday at the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly underway in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Anaclaudia Rossbach, executive director of the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), said WUF13 will shine a global spotlight on the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and its central role in sustainable urban development.
"Established by the UN General Assembly as a non-legislative platform in 2001, the World Urban Forum facilitates inclusive dialogue among global stakeholders on pressing urban issues," Rossbach said.
She observed that the forum is one of the largest UN platforms convening diverse parties to exchange, partner, and act on priorities to promote sustainable cities and communities in line with the priorities of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
WUF13 will run under the theme "Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities," focusing on practical solutions that integrate housing with broader urban systems, such as climate adaptation, land and tenure security, inclusive governance, and locally driven development, Rossabach said.
Anar Guliyev, national coordinator of WUF13 and chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan, said his government is committed to working closely with a wide range of partners to ensure a successful five-day forum.
Since its inception, WUF has been hosted in 12 cities worldwide.■
