The United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum was held in Baku within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

Held under the theme “Housing Solutions for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures,” the forum brought together representatives of city administrations, government ministries, and international partners in Baku to strengthen regional urban cooperation and promote the global urban agenda through multilateral policy dialogue, The Caspian Post reports, citing AZERTAC.

Anar Guliyev, National Coordinator of WUF13 and Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, emphasized the country’s strategic geographical position, noting that key transport corridors linking East and West pass through Azerbaijan.

According to Anar Guliyev, the SPECA Forum of Cities demonstrates a shared understanding that the challenges confronting modern cities require stronger regional cooperation, practical partnerships, and continuous dialogue between local and national authorities.

“Housing is connected to dignity, opportunity, security, and quality of life. It is essential to ensuring that our cities remain inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for both current and future generations,” the WUF13 National Coordinator stated.

Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashirli described Baku’s hosting of WUF13 as a milestone event for Azerbaijan. He also stressed the significance of the SPECA Forum of Cities serving as a permanent platform for regional cooperation.

Among the other speakers at the event were Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); Rafael Tuts, Director of the Global Solutions Division at UN-Habitat; and Curt Garrigan, Chief of the Sustainable Urban Development Section within the Environment and Development Division of UN ESCAP.

As part of the forum, a document formalizing the accession of the city of Almaty to the “Letter of Intent to Establish the SPECA Climate Smart Cities Forum” was signed. The original letter had been signed during the COP29 conference held in Baku.

The forum initiative was launched during COP29, hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2024, and was established by six founding cities - Almaty, Arkadag, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Ganja, and Samarkand. The initiative reflects the shared belief that cooperation among cities can produce transformative results that individual cities cannot achieve independently.

Designed as a permanent mechanism for policy exchange and continuous engagement with multilateral processes - including the World Urban Forum, United Nations climate negotiations, and the broader normative agenda of UN-Habitat - the SPECA Forum of Cities places affordable, climate-resilient, and energy-efficient housing at the core of its mission.