At the UN headquarters in New York, the Friends of UN-Habitat group hosted a meeting focused on sustainable urbanization and the New Urban Agenda.

The meeting was co-chaired by the permanent missions of Poland and Zimbabwe to the UN, with participation from Azerbaijan's UN mission, diplomats from several member states, UN officials, and representatives of international organizations, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.

Preparations for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held in Baku on May 17-22, 2026, were the main focus of the meeting. The goal was to discuss the early stages of preparations for the mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda.

Speakers included Poland's Permanent Representative to the UN, Krzysztof Szczerski, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach, Malawi's Permanent Representative Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande to UN, and Deputy Head of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan, Deputy National Coordinator of WUF13, Gulshan Rzayeva.

UN-Habitat representatives noted that national reports are being collected and data from various institutions and partners analyzed. The global housing crisis was emphasized as a key challenge, with over 1 billion people living in informal settlements. Access to housing, affordability, and climate-resilient living environments remain priority issues amid rapid urban population growth.

During her speech, Rzayeva stressed that WUF13 will be held for the first time in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, expressing pride that Baku will host this global platform. She noted that housing will be presented not as a separate issue but as a central theme connecting all aspects of the urban ecosystem. Practical experiences, real solutions, and partnerships will be discussed, with actionable outcomes targeted. A final report and a collective call-to-action document for future years are planned.

Rzayeva added that, for the first time, a leaders' summit with heads of state and government will be held within the program. Full-day ministerial meetings, regional consultations, roundtables, and plenary sessions will also take place. Six high-level thematic dialogues will address informal settlements, post-crisis recovery, climate-housing links, the economic role of housing, and financing models.

On organizational matters, Rzayeva said the main venue will be the Baku Olympic Stadium, with preparations progressing rapidly. Around 2,500 volunteers will be engaged, and a major city exhibition covering about 35,000 square meters will showcase countries' experiences and innovative solutions.

Speakers emphasized that the forum is not only for the host country or UN-Habitat but serves as a platform for the entire international community, inviting member states to actively participate. The meeting concluded with a Q&A session.