Baku Declaration on WUF13 Adopted by 103 Countries
Baku, The Gulf Observer: The “Baku Declaration” on the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) has been formally drafted and adopted under the initiative of the Global South NGO Platform (Global South NGO Platform), with signatures from 569 representatives of non-governmental organizations across 103 countries.
The declaration, opened for endorsement to international civil society participants attending WUF13, was presented following discussions held in Baku and coordinated in partnership with Azerbaijan’s NGO Agency.
The document was developed in the context of the NGO engagement framework of the World Urban Forum, organized under the auspices of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Recognition of WUF13 and Azerbaijan’s role
The declaration congratulates Azerbaijan on the successful hosting of WUF13, describing it as a significant contribution to global urban dialogue and international cooperation. It highlights the Leaders’ Summit held during the forum as a milestone that elevated urban development on the global policy agenda.
The signatories also emphasize that the forum marked the first-ever NGO Forum in WUF history, describing it as a new phase for civil society participation in global urban governance.
Reference to post-conflict reconstruction experience
The declaration notes that, having observed the impact of urbicide, culturicide, and ecocide in various global contexts, civil society representatives consider Azerbaijan’s post-conflict recovery and reconstruction experience as a potential methodological reference for international practices.
It further proposes that the “Azerbaijan Experience” be considered as a benchmark model for post-conflict rehabilitation and future urban recovery frameworks.
Institutional development of civil society cooperation
A key outcome highlighted in the declaration is the first General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform, which brings together more than 1,000 NGOs. The assembly also included the election of its leadership, which signatories describe as a milestone in the institutional consolidation of global civil society networks.
The declaration calls on UN-Habitat to recognize GSNP as an official civil society partner of the World Urban Forum and proposes the creation of a Global South Urban Knowledge Hub to consolidate and share best practices in sustainable urban development.
Calls for future urban governance framework
The document urges international partners to advance people-centred urban policies and strengthen coordinated global action in support of urban resilience, inclusivity, and sustainable development.
It also recommends that future World Urban Forum sessions adopt a “Baku Standard,” based on operational guidelines developed from the WUF13 experience.
The declaration was officially adopted on 22 May 2026 in Baku.
Background on WUF13 NGO Forum
The “Baku Declaration” was endorsed three days after the WUF13 NGO Forum held on 19 May 2026, which was convened for the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum through collaboration between GSNP and Azerbaijan’s NGO Agency. The forum brought together nearly 800 local and international NGO representatives and proposed the creation of an Urban Wing within GSNP to enhance cooperation among participating organizations.
At the opening ceremony, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach described the forum as a historic milestone for WUF, while UN Office for South-South Cooperation Director Dima Al-Khatib praised GSNP as a significant initiative and commended Azerbaijan’s role in its establishment.
Former UN-Habitat Governing Body Secretary Christian Mensah also welcomed the initiative, noting that the “Bandung Principles” remain increasingly relevant in today’s international environment and that the forum reflected their application through multilateral cooperation.
