Baku: A special session themed 'Cities at the Heart of Connectivity: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation' was organized as part of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, on May 19. Speaking at the event, Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, emphasized that new transport corridors, railways, highways, energy infrastructure, and digital networks integrate reconstruction areas into broader regional and international economic systems. He stated that these investments promote mobility, trade, investment, tourism, and employment, while simultaneously strengthening regional interdependence and long-term stability.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov stated that the cities of the future will no longer be evaluated by their size, but by their energy efficiency, technological advancement, and regional connectivity. He highlighted that connectivity holds strategic importance in modern geopolitical and geo-economic realities, and that infrastructure such as energy lines, transport corridors, fiber-optic cables, and electricity interconnectors are becoming the new 'arteries' of the global system.
Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov noted that Azerbaijan has resolved one of the most complex and long-standing territorial conflicts in the region. He stated that Azerbaijan has successfully reduced its poverty rate from 49 percent to 5 percent over the past two decades, showcasing significant socio-economic progress.
Anar Guliyev, National Coordinator of WUF13 and Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, pointed out that for more than the past five years, Azerbaijan has been implementing one of the most extensive reconstruction programs in the region's recent history. He recalled that during the period of occupation, approximately 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territories were occupied, leading to the demolition of cities, towns, and villages, and the destruction of vital infrastructure and cultural heritage. Following the liberation of these territories, Azerbaijan has entered a new phase focused on reconstruction, integration, and sustainable regional development.
Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev emphasized Azerbaijan's transformation into a critical transport hub within the Eurasian space. He reported that 17 million tons of cargo were transported through Azerbaijan last year, and new logistics hubs, free economic zones, and urban centers are emerging around transport corridors. He stressed that the key question lies in how cities will develop along these corridors.