Organizing Committee Reviews Preparations for WUF13 in Baku

Baku, The Gulf Observer: A meeting of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and hosting of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) was held on May 7, as final arrangements for the upcoming global event gathered pace.

Opening the meeting, the Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Organizing Committee Samir Nuriyev noted that the commencement of WUF13 is approaching. He highlighted that from May 17 to 22, Baku will host one of the world’s most prominent international platforms dedicated to urban planning and sustainable development.

The Chairman emphasized that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has consistently hosted major global events, strengthening its international profile. He underlined that WUF13 holds particular importance in presenting Azerbaijan’s modern urban development vision, its contributions to the global sustainability agenda, and its large-scale restoration and reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories.

Samir Nuriyev also noted that the declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture” in Azerbaijan further enhances the significance of hosting WUF13 in the country.

According to the report presented at the meeting, more than 28,000 participants from 177 countries have registered for the Forum so far, with around half of them being foreign delegates, reflecting strong international interest in the event.

Special attention was drawn to Azerbaijan’s initiative of introducing Leaders’ Statements for the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum. This innovation is expected to elevate discussions on urban development and sustainable settlements to a high-level global policy dialogue.

The meeting also reviewed preparations for the WUF13 Ministerial Meeting to be held under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, the Special Session organized by Azerbaijan, activities planned for the Azerbaijan Pavilion, and presentations on reconstruction and development projects in the liberated territories.

Members of the Organizing Committee delivered reports on key areas of preparation, including substantive planning, communications, protocol arrangements, transportation, and logistics.

Concluding the meeting, Samir Nuriyev expressed confidence that, in line with the directives of President Ilham Aliyev, WUF13 will be another successful demonstration of Azerbaijan’s capacity to host major international events. He issued final instructions to relevant agencies to ensure the timely resolution of remaining issues and the coordinated completion of all preparatory work.