The World Urban Forum 13 in Baku brought together global urban leaders to discuss how cities are adapting to climate pressures, digital transformation and inequality. While the discussions were ambitious, the real test remains whether these ideas will translate into practical urban change.
Abdelrahman Ghalib Alzou’bi, an urban planner speaking to AnewZ, said urban resilience is now central to global development discussions.
“WUF is really targeting one of the main themes, which is housing and how it is connected to urban resilience and climate,” he noted.
Housing affordability and inclusive urban growth were also key themes, with a focus on balancing modernisation with social equity. Alzou’bi stressed that cities must function as inclusive spaces for all communities.
Smart cities and digital transformation
Digital transformation and smart city systems emerged as key themes of the forum. Experts discussed how AI, digital governance, and smart mobility are reshaping urban management and public services.
The analyst said digital transformation has become unavoidable in modern city planning.
“It is now shaping the dialogue in urban development agendas across institutions and municipalities,” he said.
Housing affordability and inclusive urban growth were also central topics, with emphasis on balancing modernisation with social equity.
Alzou’bi also highlighted the importance of inclusion in urban design when he said, “Cities must be blending spaces where all communities come together,”.
The forum also emphasised the importance of international collaboration in solving urban challenges. However, experts underlined the need to localise global discussions.
Alzou’bi explained that initiatives like the Arab European and Arab Asian cities dialogues aim to strengthen regional cooperation.
“We want to bring the dialogue closer to local priorities and connect cities, mayors, and development actors in a more targeted way,” he said.
Financing and public-private partnerships were identified as critical tools for future urban development.
Alzou’bi said future cities will depend on more collaborative funding models involving governments and international partners.
As WUF13 concluded in Baku, participants emphasised that its success will ultimately depend on implementation, particularly as the world approaches the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
U.S. Donald Trump has said he has cancelled planned strikes on Iranian oil and gas ports announced earlier on Thursday. Trump said he made the decisio...
Britain's Defence Minister, John Healey, and Armed Forces Minister, Al Carns, have resigned from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government over a...
Spanish football club Real Madrid has appointed José Mourinho as its new manager. The 63-year-old nicknamed “the special one” returns to the hel...
Pakistan says it has killed 26 militants in strikes on terrorist hideouts along the Afghan border, marking the most significant escalation between the...
Canada’s Privacy Commissioner has found that xAI’s Grok chatbot and its parent company X Corp. violated federal privacy law by launching an AI ima...
Azerbaijan continues to host a series of high-profile global events, including COP29, the World Urban Forum and upcoming World Environment Day activities, positioning itself at the centre of international climate discussions.
As the 13th edition of the World Urban Forum ended, Azerbaijan's Pavilion showcased reconstruction efforts in its liberated territories and foregrounded the importance of mine removal in resettlement efforts.
The 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku concluded with a high-level Women’s Roundtable focused on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in housing and urban development.
Officials and urban development experts at WUF13 in Baku examined how conflict, displacement and climate disasters are intensifying the global housing crisis and placing increasing pressure on cities worldwide.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
The Pakistani city of Karachi is struggling under severe heat and humidity as the country enters a prolonged heatwave period. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of above-normal temperatures across much of the country between 7 and 12 June.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
Russia has once again offered warm words to Tbilisi, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova praising Georgia's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and saying Moscow is ready to deepen ties.
Azerbaijan dispatched 17 railway wagons carrying 984 tonnes of diesel fuel to Armenia on Thursday, marking the latest shipment in growing trade between the two countries.
The U.S. is deepening engagement with Central Asia on critical minerals as global competition for strategic resources intensifies. The issue dominated talks in Astana between Washington and the five Central Asian states.
Israel's cabinet is expected to approve a plan on Thursday (11 June) to allocate around one billion shekels ($338 million) for settlement development in the West Bank, according to reports and anti-settlement campaigners.
India is expected to receive below-average rainfall over the next two weeks, particularly across central and northern regions, as weather systems known as western disturbances slow the advance of the annual monsoon, senior weather officials said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment