NGO Forum held at Azerbaijan's initiative for first time

An event themed “NGO Forum: Global Partnerships and Decision-Making” has been held for the first time as part of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13).

1news.media reports, organized by the Azerbaijan State Agency for Support to NGOs, the forum brought the role of civil society in inclusive urban planning and sustainable urban development to the floor for discussion.

Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), expressed her satisfaction with Azerbaijan's participation in the national urban forum. She noted her pleasure in seeing communities and various stakeholders actively engaged in Azerbaijan's reconstruction process.

Rossbach added that resolving the global housing crisis is impossible without the participation of NGOs.

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, stated that the Global South NGO Platform, established within the framework of COP29, is already transforming into a successful international initiative.

“The General Assembly of this platform was established this year, and I look forward to the future of this initiative with great hope. Challenges confronting cities, such as rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change, are already on the agenda of all states. Azerbaijan is also experiencing the impacts of climate change,” he said.

Emphasizing that Azerbaijan possesses ancient urban planning traditions, Hikmet Hajiyev noted that cities like ancient Gabala have historically served as centers of trade, science, cooperation, and culture.

“Today, one of the main challenges is the preservation of cultural heritage alongside the development of modern cities,” he added.

Aygun Aliyeva, Executive Director of the Azerbaijan State Agency for Support to NGOs, stated that in recent years, Azerbaijan has transformed into a venue where major international initiatives and solidarity platforms in the field of civil society take shape.

“International events demonstrate that Azerbaijan has become an important platform that brings together civil society representatives from various regions, rather than just acting as a host country. These platforms create new opportunities for dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity,” Aliyeva noted.

Luis Gallegos, Chairman of the Board of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), noted that cities must be built in a manner suitable for women, men, and children.

“At the same time, the needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities must remain under special focus. The decision-making process under conditions of multilateral cooperation is a complex and responsible task. Nevertheless, the UN is one of the most vital platforms in existence for solving global problems, and NGOs must be an integral part of this process,” Luis Gallegos added.