Escobar: Colombia highly values ​​new opportunities presented within WUF13

Colombia highly values ​​the new opportunities and partnerships presented by WUF13, Colombian representative Maria Abondano Escobar said during a panel discussion at WUF13 in Baku, Report informs.

According to her, Cartagena city authorities place special emphasis on working with residents when implementing urban development projects.

"Our mayor has a favorite slogan: 'Speak and listen to people.' It is the residents who guide us in developing new initiatives," the city representative emphasized.

She noted that one project relocated more than 120 families who had lived in stilt houses for over 20 years to new social housing in various areas of the city.

"This was a difficult process, as many residents were unsure whether they would be able to pay their utility bills and adapt to a new way of life," she said.

The Colombian representative emphasized that the city's authorities are committed to developing the city with the interests of its residents in mind, not just the tourism industry.

"We must invest not only in tourism, but also in the city's residents themselves, because this benefits the entire city system," she concluded.