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WUF13 positioned at the heart of global urban discussions in New York

At 2026 ECOSOC Partnership Forum in New York, UN-Habitat used this key UN moment focused on partnerships and SDG implementation to advance engagement around the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

Against a backdrop of discussions on progress towards SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda, UN-Habitat highlighted WUF13 as a timely global platform to take stock of commitments and push forward practical, city-level solutions. The Forum will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026 under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”.

A central moment of the week was a diplomatic briefing on WUF13, led by UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach and Elvin Ashrafzade, Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations. The briefing brought together representatives of permanent missions and international partners to exchange on the vision, priorities and programme of WUF13, and to encourage broad participation ahead of the Forum. Discussions underscored the importance of ensuring that diverse regional perspectives help shape meaningful outcomes, including the Baku Call to Action.

WUF13 was also presented during a meeting of the Group of Friends of UN-Habitat on sustainable urbanization and the New Urban Agenda, where the Executive Director emphasized the Forum’s role as a global checkpoint for SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda at a pivotal moment for the global urban agenda.
 

Members of the diplomatic community in New York were briefed on the vision, priorities and engagement opportunities for WUF13. Members of the diplomatic community in New York were briefed on the vision, priorities and engagement opportunities for WUF13.

In parallel, during exchanges with senior UN leadership, including the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach used these engagements to reinforce the centrality of housing and sustainable urban development across the multilateral agenda, and to invite participation in WUF13 in Baku.

Throughout the week, these engagements reinforced WUF13’s role as a space where global policy dialogue connects with city-level action, bringing governments, cities and partners together to advance shared solutions to the housing and urban challenges shaping our future.

WUF13