Baku: Belarus outlined the main goals of the New Urban Agenda at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Igor Sergeyenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, said during the Leaders' Session within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, APA reports.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Sergeyenko expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev, and all the organizers of the forum for their high-level preparation and traditional sincere hospitality. He highlighted the importance of "peace" and "security," which are included in the theme of the forum. Emphasizing Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko's stance, Sergeyenko noted that sustainable development is impossible without peace. Belarus pursues a peace-loving foreign policy based on mutually beneficial cooperation, extending to infrastructure construction and urban development. One significant example of this partnership is the Belarusian-Azerbaijani joint project on creating an agro-town in Azerbaijan's Aghdam district. The project, envisioned by the leaders of both countries, is expected to enhance the living conditions of many Azerbaijanis. Belarus is ready to share its experience and capabilities in human development, Sergeyenko added.

He further explained that Belarus actively supports global urbanization trends, guided by the New Urban Agenda. In 2025, the National Sustainable Development Strategy of the Republic of Belarus until 2040 was adopted, focusing on housing construction. The goal is to provide every citizen with quality and affordable housing that meets modern standards. The future, as outlined by Sergeyenko, belongs to energy-saving technologies, renewable energy sources, and environmentally safe construction systems. Belarus aims to transition from ordinary buildings to smart residential neighborhoods. The current session marks the 10th anniversary of the New Urban Agenda's implementation, a period of exploring optimal urban development models. Sergeyenko emphasized the need to strengthen achievements in main priority areas and expressed Belarus's openness to dialogue and partnership to address modern urban development challenges. He concluded by underscoring the importance of joint efforts to achieve solutions to these proble ms.