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.
A clear articulation of the housing and urban services roadmap from Baku to Abu Dhabi—integrating water, sanitation, housing, land, and slum transformation—positioned as a strategic contribution to the 2026 UN Water Conference and future global policy dialogues. WUF13 is a strategic milestone on the road to the 2026 UN Water Conference to be held in Abu Dhabi in December 2026. Building on the UN Water Action Agenda launched in 2023, the event responds to the persistent global shortfall in access to safely managed water and sanitation, particularly in rapidly growing urban areas and informal settlements, by positioning housing, land governance, and WASH as inseparable pillars of sustainable urban development. The session highlights the stark reality that billions of people still lack basic water and sanitation services, with urban poor communities disproportionately affected due to insecure tenure, climate vulnerability, and limited institutional capacity. It underscores water and sanitation as fundamental human rights and essential prerequisites for adequate housing and dignified living conditions. The event emphasizes inclusive approaches that recognize the full continuum of tenure rights, integrate WASH into slum upgrading and urban planning, and avoid displacement while improving living standards. Key highlights include the presentation and refinement of an integrated housing and urban services roadmap from Baku to Abu Dhabi, linking WUF13 outcomes directly to global preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference. High-level political leaders, UN agencies, development banks, utilities, and frontline practitioners will examine pathways for climate‑resilient, citywide WASH systems, sustainable financing, and empowered local institutions. By elevating practical experiences from utilities and local actors, the event aims to strengthen partnerships, mobilize political momentum, and advance coherent, action‑oriented solutions toward SDG 6 and resilient, inclusive cities. Session Moderator: Rose Kaggwa, Senior Director of Business and Scientific Services, National Water and Sewerage Corporation; Welcome Address: Anacláudia Rossbach, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN‑Habitat; Keynote Address: Henk Ovink, Executive Director and Commissioner, Global Commission on the Economics of Water; Panelist: Mr. Mirzozoda Nizom Yusufi, Chairman of the Committee on Architecture and Head of Delegation of the Republic of Tajikistan at WUF13; Panelist: UAE Ministerial Representative; Panelist: Clara Brugada Molina, Mayor of Mexico City; Panelist: Jitendra Kumar Singh, Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist, Asian Development Bank; Closing Remarks and Wrap‑Up: Mohamed El Zarkani, UN Resident Coordinator, Saudi Arabia.
