Housing challenges affecting nearly 3 billion people top WUF agenda, UN‑Habitat chief says

The global housing crisis has reached what UN officials describe as “staggering” proportions, with nearly 2.8 billion people, around 40 per cent of the world’s population, lacking access to adequate housing, secure land, or basic services such as water and sanitation.

The figures, cited by UN‑Habitat, include more than 1.12 billion people living in slums or informal settlements and an estimated 300 million facing homelessness. The pressures are especially acute in rapidly urbanising regions, with around 62 per cent of urban housing in Africa considered informal. At the same time, in the Asia‑Pacific, hundreds of millions lack access to basic water and sanitation.

Against this backdrop, global leaders, policymakers and experts have gathered in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, for the World Urban Forum (WUF), where tackling the housing crisis has emerged as a central priority.

Call for coordinated global response

The head of UN‑Habitat, Anacláudia Rossbach, told AnewZ at the event that the forum is expected to deliver practical solutions and policy direction to address the scale of the challenge.

She said the discussions would focus on those most affected, including people living in informal settlements, those unable to afford housing, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Rossbach stressed that the crisis can no longer be viewed as limited to developing nations. Cities across Europe and North America are also facing growing affordability pressures, while climate change and extreme weather are worsening conditions for vulnerable populations.

She called for stronger cross-sector cooperation, underscoring the need for coordinated action by governments, local authorities, civil society, and the private sector to deliver lasting solutions.

 

Global issue, local impact

The World Urban Forum is expected to produce policy recommendations aimed at addressing housing shortages at multiple levels, from local urban planning to national housing strategies.

Participants are also examining how economic pressures, rapid urbanisation and environmental risks are reshaping housing needs globally, increasing urgency for long‑term, sustainable responses.

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Slovakia highlights cooperation opportunities

Alongside the focus on housing, the forum has also provided a platform for strengthening international partnerships. Slovakia’s Minister of Investments and Regional Development, Samuel Migaľ, said the gathering offers opportunities to deepen cooperation with countries, including Azerbaijan.

“It’s a very good context between Slovakia and Azerbaijan,” he said, pointing in particular to collaboration in energy.

He added that cooperation could also expand into areas such as digitalisation and regional development, where both countries could contribute to shared progress.

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Azerbaijan United Nations Sustainable Urban Development WUF13 UN-Habitat