BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. A number of
memorandas of understanding will be signed today within the
framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in
Baku, Raf Tuts, Director of the Global Solutions Division at the
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), told
Trend on the
sidelines of the event, Trend reports.
He highly praised Azerbaijan’s preparations for the forum,
noting that this is the 13th World Urban Forum he has attended.
”I have participated in all urban forums held since 2001. WUF
was created for dialogue and experience exchange in the fields of
urbanization, housing, and urban development. With each forum, the
number of participants, the scale of the events, and the diversity
of discussions continue to grow,” he said.
Tuts noted that the preparatory work undertaken by Azerbaijan
and the city of Baku for the forum left a special impression.
”We have been following the preparation process over the past
two years. Upon arriving in Baku, I was truly impressed by the
infrastructure, the level of organization, and the support
Azerbaijan has provided to the forum. The ministerial meeting is
starting now, and my expectations for the forum are very high,” the
UN-Habitat official emphasized.
He added that WUF13 is also an important platform for
establishing international partnerships and expanding opportunities
for cooperation.
”More than 120 countries and numerous partners are
participating in the forum. Throughout the week, memorandas of
understanding are scheduled to be signed with various partners.
Some of these documents will be signed with the participation of
the Executive Director, and others with my participation. The forum
always creates a good opportunity for establishing new
collaborations,” Tuts added.
