Baku, March 5, 2026 – The Europe Today: The Organizing Committee established for the 13th session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13) held a meeting on March 4 in Baku to review preparations for the major global event scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in May 2026.
Opening the session, Samir Nuriyev, Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Organizing Committee, highlighted that urban development has been identified by the country’s leadership as a key strategic priority within Azerbaijan’s broader socio-economic policy framework.
Nuriyev noted that the declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Urban Development and Architecture” in Azerbaijan reflects the high importance attached to the sector at the state level. He emphasized that consistent policies implemented under the leadership of the President are aimed at ensuring balanced development between the capital and the regions while promoting sustainable settlement across the country.
He also underlined Azerbaijan’s increasing engagement in global urbanization processes and its efforts to introduce innovative approaches in urban planning. According to Nuriyev, the large-scale reconstruction and redevelopment projects currently underway in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions stand as prominent examples of these strategies. The restoration initiatives in these territories are notable internationally for their scale, scope, and rapid progress.
The Chair of the Organizing Committee stressed that WUF13 has already attracted considerable international interest and will offer Azerbaijan a significant global platform to present its vision for urban development. The forum will highlight the country’s practical models and conceptual approaches, particularly those implemented in the liberated territories.
During the meeting, members of the Organizing Committee presented updates on the current status of preparations for the forum. Discussions focused on the development of the forum’s substantive program, communication strategy, and organizational and logistical arrangements.
Concluding the session, Nuriyev issued instructions to ensure that WUF13 is organized at the highest level in line with the directives of the President of Azerbaijan. He called for all preparations to be carried out with enhanced quality, efficiency, and coordinated efforts.
As Azerbaijan continues to advance its urban transformation and prepares to host one of the world’s leading platforms on sustainable cities, WUF13 is expected to showcase the country’s evolving urban development vision and its growing role in the global dialogue on urbanization.
