UN-Habitat Arena - Practicing Housing at the Centre of Crisis Response (WUF13).

   The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026. The theme of WUF13 is: Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.


To showcase and exchange cross-regional practices that position housing as a central entry point for crisis response, recovery, and resilience, and to identify scalable approaches that bridge humanitarian action with medium to long-term urban development.

Across regions affected by conflict, displacement, and climate-related risks, housing has emerged as a central pillar of effective crisis response and long-term recovery. Beyond the immediate provision of shelter, housing plays a critical role in restoring dignity, enabling safe return, fostering social cohesion, and anchoring sustainable urban development.

This cross-regional Arena event brings together experiences from the Arab States, Eastern Europe (Azerbaijan), and Latin America and the Caribbean to examine how housing can be operationalized as a core component of crisis response. While each region faces distinct challenges, they share a common need to move beyond short-term humanitarian assistance toward integrated, inclusive, and resilient housing solutions.

The session aligns with the global strategy advanced by UN-Habitat on placing housing at the center of sustainable urban recovery and resilience-building, particularly in fragile and post-crisis contexts as articulated in the 2026-2029 Strategic Plan.

Moderator: Anna Soave, Head of Country programme in Azerbaijan

Speaker:

ROAS: Dr. Maher Johan, Deputy Minister of Planning, Iraq Representatives
Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY)

ROEECA:Representatives from regional, national and local governments (including Azerbaijan and participating municipalities)

ROLAC:Ministry of Housing, Cities and Territories of Colombia, Ms. Helga Rivas
Secretary General of SISCA-SICA (Central American Social Integration Secretariat - Central American Integration System), Ms. Ana Leticia Aguila
Mayor of Cuenca, Ecuador, Mr. Cristian Zamora (TBC)

Related Sites and Documents: World Urban Forum Website & Programme.

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