WUF13 highlights housing-water nexus at GWOPA Congress
Through an interactive booth, WUF13 engaged delegates on the role of water and sanitation in achieving adequate housing and sustainable urban development, while introducing the Forum’s theme – “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities” – and ways partners can contribute to the discussions in Baku next May.
In her opening remarks, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach emphasized that “strong and accountable utilities are vital to building sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities. They stand at the heart of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan… which aims to ensure that every person enjoys adequate housing, land and basic services.” She noted that the solidarity and solutions shared at the Congress will feed into upcoming global milestones, including the 2026 UN Water Conference and WUF13.
Senior officials from Azerbaijan’s United Water Supply Service of Large Cities (State Water Resources Agency), including Acting Chairman Tahir Khalilov and Riad Akhundzada, Head of Strategy, International Cooperation and Science, met with UN-Habitat leadership and partners to advance dialogue on sustainable urbanization and water management ahead of WUF13.
The Congress reaffirmed that access to water and sanitation is fundamental to addressing the global housing crisis – a message that will echo strongly at WUF13, where governments, utilities and partners will come together to share solutions and drive action for sustainable urban futures.
Join the conversation in Baku, 17–22 May 2026. Register now.