Azerbaijan will become the first host country of WUF with a summit of state leaders

Azerbaijan will become the first host country of the World Urban Forum (WUF), which will for the first time include a summit at the level of heads of state and government.

As BAKU.WS reports with reference to Report, this was announced by the chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan and national coordinator of WUF13 Anar Guliyev at a briefing for the diplomatic corps in Baku.

According to him, Azerbaijan is initiating a number of innovations within the framework of WUF13, which will be held in May 2026.

"First of all, this is the summit of leaders. For the first time at WUF13, there will be a meeting of heads of state and government to discuss the future of our cities. This historic step underscores Azerbaijan's determination to play an active role in shaping global priorities," noted Guliyev.

He added that the second key innovation will be an updated format for the ministerial session. According to Guliyev, building on the successful experience of organizing COP29, the ministerial meeting will be structured to be as interactive, practical, and results-oriented as possible.

"The new format will allow ministers, mayors, experts and practitioners to directly exchange experiences, strengthen political dialogue and accelerate the implementation of solutions. This will ensure the achievement of concrete results that will help countries effectively implement priorities in urban development and housing policy," he emphasized.