AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL URBAN FORUM

Declared action
We, the participants of the Second Azerbaijan National Urban Forum (NUFA2) — representing international, national, and local governments, parliamentarians, civil society, older persons, women, youth, children, persons with disabilities, grassroot groups and local communities, private sector, foundations and philanthropies, international and regional organizations, academia, professionals and other relevant stakeholders — convened in the cities of Zangilan and Baku, to debate on and seek the harmonization of local and national contributions towards achieving sustainable urbanization in the Republic of Azerbaijan with a particular emphasis on the localization of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) as a catalyst for economic development, addressing inequalities, enhancing urban resilience, advancing climate action, and fostering peace-building, thereby harnessing the full potential of sustainable development.
We call, therefore, for deployment of all efforts, means and resources to ensure that all inhabitants, of present and future generations, without discrimination of any kind, are able to access just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements that can provide prosperity and quality of life for all.
We acknowledge the valuable occasion of observing Urban October as a platform to spur awareness about sustainable urbanization in the spirit of the 2023 theme - Resilient Urban Economies: Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery. This recognition extends to NUFA2, the multi-stakeholder platform that has brought together between 29 September and 01 October 2023 more than 500 key decision makers, urban actors and practitioners from 53 countries around the world in support of evidence-based planning and decision-making for a well-balanced, resilient and inclusive urban development. In our discussions on urban recovery initiatives, we stressed the importance of a comprehensive whole-of-government approach and the active involvement of society and in partnership with the private sector and academia to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the NUA.
 


We believe that sound and well-balanced urban governance shall ensure continuous dialogue among different levels of government, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to achieve cross-sectoral coordination, transparency, and accountability;
We advocate for continuous capacity building and actively seek the exchange of creative solutions and international innovative practices which are essential to foster the necessary shift in mindset, promoting the development of neighborhood-friendly, peaceful, and inclusive spaces that are responsive to age and gender considerations, thereby ensuring meaningful engagement at all levels;
We recognize the crucial role played by UN-Habitat in advocating for sustainable urban communities in the country, understanding their fundamental significance in tackling the numerous challenges presented by the rapidly evolving global sustainable development agenda, which must be implemented at the local level. We express full confidence in leadership and dedication of UN-Habitat’s Executive Director to expedite the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a specific emphasis on SDG11 to address a wide spectrum of interconnected development challenges;
We do emphasize the utmost importance of demining for rebuilding safe, prosperous, inclusive and resilient neighborhoods in the Republic of Azerbaijan in support of implementing the ‘Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development’;
This declaration draws inspiration from NUFA1 conducted in 2022 and the recent 2023 SDG Summit in New York which underscored the need for renewed vigor and accelerated efforts to achieve the SDGs. We thank our international partners and participants for sharing their valuable experiences and best practices, enhancing our capacity to promote more ambitious engagement by the Republic of Azerbaijan and align our endeavors for COP28 in Dubai, UAE, later this year. We pledge to work diligently to ensure a robust representation of the Republic of Azerbaijan at World Urban Forum 12 in Cairo, Egypt, in 2024, sustaining our active involvement.
We would like to extend our appreciation to the Government of Azerbaijan, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, the Office of the Special Representative Institution of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the cities of Zangilan and Baku for hosting NUFA2 as well as UN-Habitat for supporting the convening of the Forum.

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Aim

The 2nd Azerbaijan National Urban Forum aims to promote knowledge sharing, policy formulation, community engagement, capacity building, collaboration, and implementation strategies for resilient urban development. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will also be established to ensure the effectiveness of the initiatives.

Task

To bring together various stakeholders, experts, policymakers, and communities to discuss, exchange ideas, and collaborate on strategies for building resilient cities that can thrive economically in the face of various challenges and uncertainties.

Expected outcome

To contribute to the creation of more resilient and economically vibrant cities that can better withstand shocks, support their residents, and provide sustainable and prosperous futures.

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