Turkmenistan at WUF13: Smart Cities and Global Partnerships in Baku

On May 18, 2026, the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) commenced its week-long program at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan. WUF was launched in 2002 by the United Nations Human Rights Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to address one of the most pressing global challenges of our time: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and policy. The Forum operates as a non-legislative technical platform where experts exchange insights during the years when the UN-Habitat Governing Council does not meet, gathering participants from 160 countries biennially in different host cities and nations.

The delegation of Turkmenistan is represented by officials from the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Industry and Construction Production, the Ministry of Construction and Architecture, the State Committee for the Construction of the City of Arkadag under the President of Turkmenistan, the Hakymlik (Municipality) of Ashgabat, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Arkadag Smart City administration. A massive exhibition center, known as the Urban Expo, was set up across the vast venue of WUF13, featuring national pavilions from numerous countries worldwide. The Pavilion of Turkmenistan showcased products and achievements of the participating ministries and agencies, including traditional souvenirs, hand-woven carpets, a model of an Akhal-Teke horse, a replica of the Arch of Neutrality, and architectural models of the newly developed Arkadag Smart City. Visitors to the National Pavilion were provided with well-illustrated promotional materials on domestic innovative urban development solutions, presented with a wide selection of medicinal mountain herbs and teas, and, in line with traditional hospitality, treated to local sweets, including the internationally acclaimed chocolate-covered melon candies.

The official opening of the Forum was held at the highest level, attended by heads of state and high-ranking officials from various nations. In the Dialogue B Hall, representatives of UN-Habitat and other international organizations delivered welcoming remarks to the participants. The popular Turkish singer Haluk Levent and his band, who traveled to the forum as special guests, performed several songs during the event. Civil society representatives from Turkmenistan also participated in WUF13, having previously attended the General Assembly of the Global South NGO Platform on May 14 and the 2nd Solidarity Forum of NGOs of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member states on May 16 in Baku.

It is widely recognized that amid rapid urbanization, non-governmental organizations serve as a vital link between citizens, businesses, and the state, ensuring that the interests of local communities are integrated into the design of smart and inclusive cities. They transform global partnerships by translating international sustainable development standards (such as the UN SDGs) to the local level and building expert networks to exchange best practices in environmental protection, transport, and affordable housing. For this reason, the organizers of WUF13 placed a strong emphasis on engaging civil society organizations in the work of the World Urban Forum.Consequently, on May 19, the WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnerships and Decision-Making was convened for the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum. Held in the Dialogue A Hall at the Olympic Stadium, the session was opened by Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Rights Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and Mr. Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration.The event featured keynote addresses by Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation; Ms. Aygun Aliyeva, Chairperson of the Board of the Agency for State Support to NGOs of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Mr. Luis Gallegos, President of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Deputy Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform for the Latin American Region; Mr. Christian Mensah, former Secretary of the UN-Habitat Board and Head of the Intergovernmental Relations Department; and Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Advisor on Sustainable Urbanization to the Government of Malaysia, former Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and former Mayor of Kuala Lumpur.

During the panel discussion titled “Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Planning: Global Partnerships and NGO Influence on Decision-Making,” civil society representatives from various regions of the world shared their experiences and proposed actionable ideas to enhance partnership and collective participation in improving living standards in cities and rural areas.

WUF13 continued its work through May 22, 2026.

Berkeli Atayev.