New york: A series of high-level international events dedicated to the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) under the theme 'Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities' were held at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, a meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) of UN-Habitat, Sustainable Urbanization, and the New Urban Agenda was held on January 29, co-chaired by the Permanent Missions of Poland and Zimbabwe to the United Nations. This meeting was organized ahead of the mid-term review of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, bringing together representatives from various UN Member States.
The meeting commenced with opening remarks from the co-chairs of the Group of Friends, followed by a presentation from Anacl¡udia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. She discussed the overarching framework, commitments, priorities, and accountability mechanisms for implementing the New Urban Agenda. The Permanent Representatives of Malawi and Poland, co-facilitators of the political declaration of the New Urban Agenda review, shared their perspectives on current urbanization challenges and the process of preparing the midterm review report.
The UN-Habitat Group of Friends includes 50 member states from all global regions, aiming to promote dialogue and cooperation for inclusive, safe, sustainable, and resilient urban development. Within the meeting framework, the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan presented on the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), detailing the Forum's theme, key events, and preparation process.
On January 30, 2026, a diplomatic briefing dedicated to WUF13 was jointly organized by the Government of Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat. The event was attended by heads of more than 100 permanent missions accredited to the United Nations, observers, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Elvin Ashrafzada, Charg© d'Affaires a.i. and Deputy Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations, delivered opening remarks, emphasizing Azerbaijan's contributions to global dialogue on sustainable urban development and the significance of WUF13 in addressing today's pressing challenges.
Anacl¡udia Rossbach, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, underscored WUF13 as a critical platform for broadening dialogue, strengthening partnerships, and promoting practical solutions to the global housing crisis affecting three billion people worldwide. She noted that the event will aid the New Urban Agenda's implementation and contribute to developing inclusive, safe, sustainable, and resilient cities.
Gulshan Rzayeva, Deputy National Coordinator of WUF13, spoke on Azerbaijan's new initiatives within WUF13, including organizing a Summit involving heads of state and government for the first time, a more interactive and results-oriented Ministerial meeting, and the Urban Expo exhibition across 35,000 square meters. She highlighted Azerbaijan's strong commitment to the global development agenda by sharing national experience and presenting innovative solutions.
As part of the briefing, Omar Siddique, Head of UN-Habitat's Canada Office, presented the WUF13 programme, key events, and participation opportunities. The briefing concluded with a Q and A session, where diplomats from countries like Trkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Pakistan, and El Salvador expressed their confidence in Azerbaijan's ability to host WUF13 successfully.