The 13th UN World Urban Forum opens in Baku, Azerbaijan, with warnings that a global housing crisis is deepening as housing costs rise and climate shocks and conflicts leave millions without adequate shelter. Ministers, experts, and delegates use the forum to discuss solutions and the need for greater international cooperation to address what is described as a widening housing divide between countries and communities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres tells participants that “no society is immune” from the crisis and calls for placing housing at the heart of sustainable development. He also emphasizes that the issue affects both urban and broader development priorities.
The forum, which gathers tens of thousands of participants, culminates in support for the “Baku Call to Action.” UN reporting says the “Baku Call to Action” and a new roadmap urge governments, cities, and communities to act collectively to rethink how the world houses its people. Several outlets describe the event as a landmark gathering, with attendance reported at more than 57,000 participants, as the discussions continue on policy, funding, and resilience measures for housing and urban sustainability.
