ONE UN - Integrated approaches for advancing Durable Solutions and the reintegration of returnees in Afghanistan responding to (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 . Afghanistan's population has increased by more than 10 % in the last three years, fueled by large-scale returns from neighboring countries, mainly Iran and Pakistan - which included forced and coerced returns. Over 5 million Afghans are estimated to have returned since late 2023, which, according to the World Bank's latest Afghanistan Development Update (ADU / fall 2025) "is severely straining a contracting economy already suffering from reduced aid." The session will allow to showcase successful UN joint programming but also underline the need for coordination and cooperation on durable solutions and integration of returnees across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This session will introduce an integrated, area-based and cross-sectoral approach applied by four...