Sahiba Gafarova: This global event is another token of confidence in Azerbaijan

Sahiba Gafarova: This global event is another token of confidence in Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova: This global event is another token of confidence in Azerbaijan https://innews.media/en/news/id-60548

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova told in her speech at the 5th Conference of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement about the forthcoming 13th Session of the World Urban Forum that will be hosted by Azerbaijan. It was said that the Session, which will take place in Baku in May this year, will be themed ‘Housing for all: safe and sustainable cities and settlements’. As the Speaker pointed out, this Forum is a high-level international platform founded to address problems related to rapid urbanisation and to assess its impact on cities, national economies and climate change.

Sahiba Gafarova underlined also that, following the successful hosting of COP29, the hosting also of this global event is another manifestation of the confidence in the ability of Azerbaijan to unite joint efforts in the face of common challenges.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis informed those assembled that, led by President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is now implementing large-scale urban-planning and restoration projects in the formerly occupied and sacked Garabagh and East Zangazur. New settlements and transport, energy and economic infrastructure alike are being built in these territories following advanced urban planning principles and with application of such innovative concepts as ‘green energy zone’, ‘smart town’ and ‘zero waste’. Three national Urban Forums, organised in partnership with the UN Human Settlements Programme, have played an important role as platforms for exchanging experience and new initiatives, contributing to the strengthening of co-operation in this area.

It was said that the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum will provide an interim assessment of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. This event will review the past decade and identify priorities up to 2036. Speaker Sahiba Gafarova urged all Members to participate in the Forum’s agenda actively and to consider its outcomes carefully when addressing problems related to rapid urbanisation, as well as to act jointly to make certain that the cities of the future are inclusive, sustainable and, most importantly, provide every citizen with decent living conditions.