Hamza Berrouane: WUF13 to set urban priorities for next decade

The Ministerial Meeting on the New Urban Agenda at WUF13 will define priorities for the coming 10 years, stated UN-Habitat representative Hamza Berrouane during an event organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Sofia as part of the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan, as well as in connection with preparations for hosting the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku, Report informs.

"This time, we will have three new formats, the first being a ministerial meeting on the New Urban Agenda. We are at the midpoint of the program's implementation and will bring together ministers from around the world to assess achievements and priorities for the next 10 years. The second is the WUF Practices Hub. This is a solutions space where we will showcase real success stories and projects that can be scaled in other countries. The third is the WUF Academy - an entirely new set of educational programs," Berrouane stated.

He noted that WUF13 will feature 6 high-level dialogues on the following topics: The Global Housing Crisis: What Is the Plan?; Transforming Informal Settlements and Slums; Housing at the Center of Crisis: Recovery and Reconstruction (after disasters or wars); The Climate-Housing Nexus (green housing and neighborhoods); The Social and Economic Power of Housing (opportunities for the population); A New Deal for Housing Finance (models of affordable and social housing).

"WUF13 is expected to bring together more than 25,000 participants, making it an ideal platform for finding partners," he added.