WUF13 Azerbaijan: Global Urban Leadership

WUF13 brings together delegates from 193 UN member states to address the worldwide housing crisis affecting 3 billion people, with Azerbaijan serving on the UN-Habitat Executive Board (2025-2029).

The 40,000 returning families in the “Great Return” programme demonstrate post-conflict sustainable reconstruction, with smart villages serving as a model for climate-resilient development.

From the Gobustan petroglyphs to smart villages - showcasing Azerbaijan’s 40,000-year urban evolution as a model for balancing tradition with modernisation.

Building on COP29 Baku (2024), WUF13 presents zero-carbon urban development pathways through renewable energy integration and green mobility networks.

It positions Baku as a bridge between civilizations in shaping inclusive, resilient cities through international cooperation and people-centred urban policies.

WUF13 represents Azerbaijan’s culmination as a global urban development leader, solidifying Baku’s role in shaping resilient, inclusive 21st century cities by demonstrating how ancient heritage, oil-driven transformation, and sustainable innovation can successfully coexist.