The successful conclusion of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku once again demonstrated Azerbaijan's international prestige. These views were expressed by Milli Majlis deputy Jeyhun Mammadov in an interview with Oxu.Az.
The deputy noted that WUF13 became the largest session in the forum's history in terms of participant numbers and scale: "The 13th session set a record by bringing together over 57,000 participants from 176 countries. As the second largest international event in Azerbaijan after COP29, WUF13 highlighted the country's growing role as a reliable partner in solving global problems."
The Leaders' Summit, held for the first time within the forum, was of particular importance. Initiated by President Ilham Aliyev, the summit was attended by 27 heads of state and government. Speeches emphasized Azerbaijan's hospitality and the high level of organization of the forum.
The Ministerial Meeting brought together ministers from nearly 70 countries. The adopted "Chair's Summary" document highlighted President Ilham Aliyev's leadership and noted that WUF13 was the largest session in forum history.
The deputy stated that Azerbaijan's post-conflict reconstruction efforts were met with great interest by forum participants. The "Great Return" program and "smart city" concepts were highly appreciated internationally.
WUF13 also generated concrete initiatives. The establishment of the Baku City Award and the signing of a Letter of Intent between the State Committee for Urban Planning and UN-Habitat are examples. This demonstrates that Azerbaijan has become a country that puts forward new initiatives on a global scale.
