LocationsUNDP at the 13th World Urban Forum
May 12, 2026
Event Details
May 17, 2026
-
May 22, 2026
UTC+4
Baku, Azerbaijan
The 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17–22 May 2026 under the theme ‘Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.’
By 2050, cities will drive two-thirds of the global population growth. Most of the world’s extreme poor is expected to live in urban areas by 2035. Nearly 3 billion people worldwide lack decent shelter. Housing is both a basic human need and a reflection of how well cities manage inequality, land, finance, climate risk and governance. WUF13 aims to advance policy dialogue on sustainable urban development and explore practical solutions to address the critical housing challenges. The Forum’s outcome document, the Baku Call to Action will inform the 2026 UN Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
This year, the forum will be organized around six dialogues:
- The Global Housing Crisis: What is the Plan?
- Transforming Informal Settlements and Slums
- Housing for Urban Recovery
- The Climate-Housing Nexus
- The Economic Power of Housing
- A New Deal for Housing Finance
At WUF13, UNDP will highlight the critical role of local-level implementation in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s engagement will focus on four main objectives: positioning itself as a preferred partner for cities by integrating governance and resilience with accessible finance for urban development, especially in secondary and fragile contexts; reframing housing as a challenge rooted in governance and financing, emphasising land rights, inclusive planning, and accountable institutions; placing climate, crisis, and fragility at the core of the housing agenda through coherent responses to urban recovery and adaptation; and mobilising partnerships and platforms with city networks, donors, development banks, and UN partners to accelerate SDG localisation and expand locally led urban solutions beyond the forum.
Full list of UNDP Engagements at WUF13:
No. | Event | Description | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dialogue: The Social and Economic Power of Housing 19 May, Tuesday 9:30-11:30 (UTC+4) | This high-level, multi-stakeholder dialogue will explore how housing can function as both an economic engine and a social equalizer, drawing on global and local perspectives to identify actionable solutions and policy insights. | Dialogue room B, Baku Olympic Stadium |
2 | Networking Event: Securing Resilient Urban Futures: Transforming Housing Systems to Tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis 19 May, Tuesday 12:00-13:30 (UTC+4) | Organised by UNDP, this networking event will explore integrated solutions - nature-based, digital, energy, and water-focused – to transform housing into a driver of climate resilience, combining global frameworks with practical, community-level applications. | Multipurpose Room 13, Baku Olympic Stadium |
3 | One UN Roundtable: One UN for Adequate Housing and Resilient Communities: Delivering the SDGs through Housing and Urban Solutions 19 May, Tuesday 13:00–15:00 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UN-Habitat and UN DCO, this high-level session will explore how coordinated UN action can accelerate SDG implementation through integrated, locally driven housing solutions, with a focus on bridging policy, financing, and delivery gaps. | Roundtable Room A, Baku Olympic Stadium |
4 | One UN Event: Integrated approaches for advancing Durable Solutions and the reintegration of returnees in Afghanistan 19 May, Tuesday 14:00–15:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UNDP, UN-Habitat, IOM, and UNHCR, this inter-agency session will showcase integrated UN programming supporting large-scale returns, focusing on area-based, cross-sectoral approaches to strengthen services, livelihoods, and social cohesion in high-return regions, and advance durable solutions across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. | ONE UN room B, Baku Olympic Stadium |
5 | One UN Event: Financing the Localisation of SDGs through Integrated Local Financing Frameworks and Instruments (Local2030 Coalition) 19 May, Tuesday 16:00–17:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UNDP, UNEP, UNICEF and UN-Habitat, this session will showcase progress in implementing Integrated Local Financing Frameworks and instruments to accelerate SDG localisation, highlighting country experiences and coordinated UN efforts to align tools and financing approaches for scaling local climate and development investments. | ONE UN room C, Baku Olympic Stadium |
6 | One UN Event: Catalytic Funding and Support for Building Safe, Resilient and Inclusive Cities 20 May, Wednesday 12:00–13:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by the Global Disability Fund (GDF) and Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ), this multi-stakeholder session will explore how catalytic financing and local partnerships, led by the UN GFD and partners, support cities to advance disability-inclusive, accessible, and climate-resilient urban development through the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Hub. | ONE UN room B, Baku Olympic Stadium |
7 | Networking Event: Investor Roundtable: How can MDBs support sustainable housing at the local level? (TBC) 20 May, Wednesday 14:00–15:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by EIB, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), AfDB, and Cities Development Initiative for Asia CDIA represented by ADB, this networking event will explore how MDBs can support scalable, climate-resilient and affordable housing at the local level, focusing on programmatic approaches, financing solutions, and stronger alignment between city needs and investment pipelines. | Multipurpose room 02, Baku Olympic Stadium |
8 | One UN event: Housing Resilience as an Urban Systems Challenge 20 May, Wednesday 16:00–17:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UNDRR, UNDP, UNEP, and UN-Habitat, this multi-agency session will position housing as a core urban system, applying a resilience lens to address climate, disaster, and governance risks. It highlights practical approaches for embedding resilience across the 9urban cycle and supports a joint UN initiative to scale coordinated action on resilient housing. | One UN Room C, Baku Olympic Stadium |
9 | Networking Event: Human Mobility and Urbanization in Asia and the Pacific: Lessons and Pathways Forward for Regional Cooperation 21 May, Thursday 12:00–14:00 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UNDP, IOM and UN-Habitat, this networking eventwill examine how cities can better manage rapid population shifts driven by climate and socio-economic pressures, highlighting integrated approaches to urban planning, mobility and resilience. | Multipurpose Room 14, Baku Olympic Stadium |
10 | Side Event: Urban Practices in Crisis Response and Post-Disaster Reconstruction 21 May, Thursday 12:00–13:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by the Urban Planning Society of China (UPSC), UN-Habitat, International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), this event focuses on housing and community reconstruction in disaster contexts such as earthquakes and floods. It brings together global stakeholders to share practical solutions, innovations, and governance approaches, supporting resilient and inclusive urban development and advancing the localisation of the New Urban Agenda. | Baku Olympic Stadium, Multipurpose Room 13 |
11 | One UN Event: Regenerating Historic Settlements for Adequate Housing: Traditional Techniques, Value Chains, Resilient Homes 21 May, Thursday 14:00–15:30 (UTC+4) | Organised by UNDP, this multi-stakeholder will discuss how rehabilitating historic settlements can support inclusive, resilient, and sustainable housing, integrating heritage preservation with climate resilience, local economic development, and community-led approaches. | ONE UN room C, Baku Olympic Stadium |
12 | One UN Event: Resilient Arab Cities – Good Practices and Opportunities for the Future 21 May, Thursday 16:00–17:30 (UTC+4) | Co-organised by UNDP and UN-Habitat, this session will highlight diverse risks and opportunities across Arab cities, showcasing practical tools, case studies, and inclusive approaches to strengthen climate resilience and risk-informed urban development. | ONE UN room A, Baku Olympic Stadium |
13 | One UN Event: From Grey to Blue-Green - Water-Responsive Urbanism and Sponge Cities for African Resilient 21 May, Thursday 16:00–17:30 (UTC+4) | Convened under the Aquinile Partnership – a joint initiative of the AU, UNDP, UN-Habitat, UNEP, and UNDRR – this session will explore sponge city and nature-based solutions to address urban water challenges, showcasing African and global experiences and identifying pathways to scale resilient, inclusive, and climate-adaptive urban infrastructure. | ONE UN room C, Baku Olympic Stadium
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