Azerbaijan's Initiative on Post-Conflict Recovery Supported in WUF13 Final Documents

Azerbaijan's initiative "Smart and Sustainable Settlement Solutions Package for Safe Return" (4SRP) received support in the "Baku Call to Action" and the ministerial meeting document adopted at the conclusion of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

As Report informs, the high-level meeting summary notes that ministers welcomed the initiative prepared by Azerbaijan jointly with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Baku Climate and Peace Hub within the framework of WUF13.

It is reported that the "Baku Call to Action," containing key recommendations in the field of urban development policy for the next two years on a global scale, also reaffirms the main objectives of the 4SRP initiative.

"We call for a coordinated approach to prioritize reconstruction and recovery efforts and, ultimately, the return of internally displaced persons to their homes," the document states.

It is noted that the initiative was put forward by the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture jointly with UN-Habitat, IOM, and Baku Hub during a high-level panel discussion held on May 19, 2026, within the framework of WUF13.

The initiative envisages the development of integrated approaches to urban planning and recovery in response to interconnected challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, forced displacement, conflicts, and humanitarian vulnerability.

As the initiative's partners emphasized, in the process of establishing international standards incorporating such approaches, Azerbaijan's experience in large-scale reconstruction work in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions, as well as the implementation of "smart city" and "smart village" concepts in post-conflict conditions, will be widely utilized.

At the same time, the initiative is regarded as an important platform in terms of developing practical urban planning models for post-conflict and vulnerable regions, promoting them at the international level, and facilitating access to climate and investment financing.