Rafiyev: Climate, economic goals cannot be achieved without safe housing

Without safe and accessible housing, it is impossible to achieve goals in health, education, economic growth, or climate resilience, Yalchin Rafiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, said during the roundtable held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to Rafiyev, cities today account for 70% of global CO2 emissions, making them the largest source: "Therefore, housing and urban systems are not independent sectors; rather, they are closely interconnected with others. They act as multidimensional drivers of development, crucial for human well-being and the sustainable functioning of the global environment. Without safe and accessible housing, and without addressing related challenges, we cannot achieve our goals in health, education, economic growth, or climate resilience."

He stressed that no government, agency, or actor can solve the housing crisis alone: "The scale, complexity, and cross-sectoral nature of this problem make coordinated multilateral action not a luxury but a prerequisite for meaningful progress. Unfortunately, the UN system still often operates in parallel rather than together. Mandates compete, resources are isolated, and the benefits of system-wide coherence are lost. Reform of the UN development system has created an architecture for unified UN action. System-wide coordination within the UN is crucial to support efforts for adequate housing. Multilateral partnerships are the key to accelerating progress in achieving decent housing. Given the scale and complexity of the global housing crisis, global partners must cooperate effectively."