The reconstruction process carried out in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions of Azerbaijan is a real example of a sustainable urbanization approach in the post-conflict period.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Anaklaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), at a special session on "Cities at the Center of Connection: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation" within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum held in Baku.
She noted that entire territories should be taken into account when planning cities.
"When investing in transport corridors, housing, markets, services, land resources, and livelihood opportunities for communities along those routes should also be invested in. Sustainable urbanization is inseparable from the development of rural areas surrounding cities."
Anaklaudia Rossbach stated that during her visit to the region within the National Urban Forum held in October last year, she observed that housing, public services, digital connectivity, and green energy networks were integrated based on a unified territorial vision.
"The goal here is not to restore cities and towns individually, but to rebuild a functional human geography."
She also added that urban and rural communities located along regional transport corridors, energy lines, and digital networks should be valued not only as transit areas but also as strategic investment locations.
The UN-Habitat official finally stated that the session held within WUF13 is of particular importance and emphasized that she looks forward to the commitments that will emerge at the end of the discussions.
