Azerbaijan has been announced as the host nation for two major United Nations events in 2026 the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) and World Environment Day, underscoring its rising profile as a global leader in sustainable development and urban innovation.
In a statement shared with DA News, officials said these events mark a strategic contribution to global discussions on inclusive urbanization and climate action, building on the momentum of Azerbaijan’s successful hosting of COP29 in 2024.
Organised by UN-Habitat, the World Urban Forum is the world’s premier conference on cities and urbanization.
Hosting the event in Baku places Azerbaijan at the forefront of global discourse on how cities can be made more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, especially amid rising climate-related urban challenges.
The Forum is expected to attract urban planners, policymakers, civil society organizations, academics, and private sector leaders from around the world, offering a unique space to explore trends in urban growth, climate adaptation, and green innovation.
Azerbaijan’s recent election to the Executive Board of UN-Habitat (2025–2029) is another milestone that reflects its growing influence in shaping global urban policy.
Among the country’s flagship initiatives are the “smart city” and “smart village” models being implemented in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, regions rebuilt following their liberation.
“These efforts align with our national priorities and a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” the statement emphasized.
Commenting on the development, Dr. Parvana Valiyeva, a member of the Azerbaijan Parliament and the Organising Committee of COP29, noted that urban planning has been identified as a key pillar in the country’s “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development”, approved by Presidential Decree in 2021.
“Our urban projects in Baku and other cities are central to Azerbaijan’s comprehensive growth strategy,” she said. “The reconstruction of hundreds of villages, towns, and cities in Karabakh and East Zangezur is progressing rapidly and strategically.”
Dr. Valiyeva added that the success of national urban planning forums held in 2022 and 2023 pioneering events in the region helped position Azerbaijan as the next host for WUF13.
“This is a testament to the trust and recognition Azerbaijan enjoys in the international community.”
Equally significant is Azerbaijan’s selection as host of World Environment Day 2026, the flagship environmental campaign of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
This day mobilizes global action around biodiversity, climate, and sustainability, and reinforces the country’s commitment to the green transition.
These landmark events are expected to synergize with COP29 outcomes, such as the “Baku Breakthrough” on climate finance, the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, and the activation of Article 6 carbon markets, placing Baku at the center of global environmental diplomacy.
With cities at the frontline of climate risks and inequality, Azerbaijan’s dual hosting role reflects its ambition to act not just as a participant, but as a co-architect of sustainable urban and environmental futures regionally and globally.
By Dare Akogun
