Urban planning and city development play a crucial role in driving progress towards achieving sustainable development. Given the ongoing global urbanization trends, the significance of these development agenda items is further reinforced by specific challenges and opportunities faced by each country.
The Republic of Azerbaijan represents one of such countries. As it actively supports and promotes the localization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 is considered a vital component of the country's post-conflict socio-economic reintegration priorities. The New Urban Agenda, offering an action-oriented universal framework for sustainable housing, holds great value in this regard. Collaboration, experience-sharing, and learning from each other are essential for the success of national and sub-regional sustainable development efforts.
To highlight the importance of sustainable urbanization processes, the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in collaboration with UN-Habitat, will organize the 2023 Urban Week. The Urban Week will commence with the 2nd Azerbaijan National Urban Forum (NUFA2) on 29 September 2023. NUFA2 will bring together a diverse range of urban stakeholders and participants, both from Azerbaijan and internationally, over three days. The forum will be held in the cities of Zangilan and Baku.
While NUFA2 aims to discuss emerging key urban challenges, ongoing projects and the vision for the urban future in the Republic of Azerbaijan, it will also show-case international experiences in the related field to stimulate local action. Given the global importance of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, NUFA2 will be focusing on the role of urban productivity and economic growth, hereby fully deploying the potential of the SDGs and the NUA for economic resilience and transition to a circular economy. Urban week will continue with World Habitat Day, which will be held on October 2 in Baku.
