Baku: Initiated and organized by the "Global South NGO Platform," the "Baku Declaration" regarding WUF13 has been drafted. The document was open for signatures from foreign NGO representatives participating in WUF13. Ultimately, 569 NGO representatives from 103 countries signed the "Baku Declaration."

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the declaration was presented by APA and highlights the accomplishments and future goals of the NGOs involved. The declaration congratulates Azerbaijan for successfully organizing WUF13 and emphasizes the country's contribution to international urban dialogue. It recognizes Azerbaijan's experience in post-conflict recovery as a valuable reference for the global community, proposing it as a benchmark for future rehabilitation processes.

The declaration marks the first NGO Forum in WUF history, initiating a new chapter for civil society participation. It also announces the convening of the first General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform, a coalition of over 1,000 NGOs. The declaration calls upon UN-Habitat to continue supporting this initiative and to recognize the GSNP as an official civil society partner of the World Urban Forum.

The "Baku Declaration" was adopted three days after the "WUF13 NGO Forum," which was held on May 19. The event was organized by Azerbaijan's NGO Agency in partnership with the GSNP and gathered nearly 800 foreign and local NGO representatives. Discussions at the forum led to the proposal of forming the Urban Wing of the GSNP, further strengthening the collaboration among involved NGOs.

During the opening ceremony of the "WUF13 NGO Forum," Anacl¡udia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, highlighted the historical significance of the forum for WUF. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, praised the "Global South NGO Platform" and congratulated Azerbaijan for hosting the platform in Baku.

Christian Mensah, former Secretary of the Governing Body at UN-Habitat, acknowledged the establishment of a civil society hub for NGOs at WUF13. He noted the renewed relevance of the "Bandung Principles" in today's international environment and commended the event as a manifestation of cooperation and multilateral partnership.