APA News Agency conducted an interview with Gwi-Yeop Son, Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, United Nations Development Coordination Office (UN DCO).
Hosting WUF13 in Baku is strategically important
- How do you assess the importance of WUF13 being hosted in Baku at a time when cities around the world are facing increasing social, economic, and climate-related challenges?
- Hosting WUF13 in Baku is strategically important. Cities today are at the center of many global challenges, including climate change, inequalities, housing pressures, migration, infrastructure gaps, and recovery from crises. At the same time, cities are also where many solutions are emerging.
Azerbaijan’s hosting of WUF13, following COP29, places the country at the center of global discussions on sustainable urbanization, resilience, climate action, and inclusive development. It creates an important opportunity for governments, the UN system, international financial institutions, and local actors to exchange practical experiences and identify concrete solutions that can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
For the Europe and Central Asia region, this discussion is particularly relevant as many countries are simultaneously navigating urban transformation, demographic shifts, climate pressures, and economic transitions.
We will bring regional perspectives from Europe and Central Asia
- As Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia at UNDCO, what key priorities and messages will your office bring to WUF13?
- Our key message is that sustainable urbanization cannot be approached as a standalone sector. Housing, mobility, climate resilience, jobs, social inclusion, local governance, digital transformation, and infrastructure are all interconnected.
At WUF13, we will emphasize the importance of integrated approaches through the UN Resident Coordinator system and Cooperation Frameworks. Across Europe and Central Asia, almost all UN Country Teams have either recently finalized or are in the process of launching new Cooperation Frameworks with governments. These frameworks come at a critical moment, as countries are facing increasingly complex development challenges while the timeline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is becoming increasingly tight.
Many of the new Cooperation Frameworks are already placing stronger focus on green transition, climate resilience, sustainable urbanization, social inclusion, regional connectivity, and resilient infrastructure. WUF13 is therefore a very important opportunity to bring the outcomes of these global discussions directly into concrete actions and partnerships between the United Nations, governments, international financial institutions, local authorities, and other development partners.
Another important priority for us is localization. Achieving the SDGs increasingly depends on empowering cities and local governments with stronger data systems, financing mechanisms, and institutional capacities.
We will also bring regional perspectives from Europe and Central Asia, including experiences related to green transition, sustainable infrastructure, and regional connectivity.
The cooperation between the United Nations and Azerbaijan is strong, constructive, and increasingly strategic
- Azerbaijan has become an active partner of the United Nations in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. How would you evaluate the current level of cooperation between the UN and Azerbaijan?
- The cooperation between the United Nations and Azerbaijan is strong, constructive, and increasingly strategic. Azerbaijan has demonstrated strong ownership of the SDG agenda and has positioned sustainable development as a national priority.
The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026–2030, which started implementation this year, reflects close collaboration between the Government and the United Nations system and is aligned with the country’s evolving priorities as an upper-middle-income country.
The new Cooperation Framework is strategically focused around two main priorities: The first is advancing inclusive socio-economic growth and human development, including stronger support for people-centered development, innovation, social inclusion, and opportunities for vulnerable groups. The second focuses on promoting ecosystems and climate resilience, green growth, and a just transition, recognizing the increasing importance of environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, and resilient economic transformation.
Our cooperation with Azerbaijan also spans areas such as SDG localization, digitalization, youth engagement, innovation, sustainable urban development, and regional connectivity.
Azerbaijan has also played an active role in advancing regional and international dialogue on sustainable development, including through hosting COP29 and WUF13, and through engagement in regional cooperation initiatives such as SPECA. In this regard, we commend the Government of Azerbaijan for contributing USD 3.5 million to the SPECA Multi-Partner Trust Fund. These platforms create important opportunities to strengthen dialogue and partnerships on sustainable development across the wider Europe and Central Asia region.
UN continues to support regional economic cooperation linked to the South Caucasus
- What are some of the most significant UN-supported development projects currently being implemented in Azerbaijan, particularly in areas such as sustainable development, urban resilience, and regional recovery?
- The United Nations system in Azerbaijan is supporting a broad range of initiatives aligned with national development priorities.
One important area is climate resilience and sustainable urban development. Building on the momentum of COP29, the UN supported the launch of the Multisectoral Action Pathways to Resilient and Healthy Cities initiative, endorsed by dozens of governments, which promotes integrated approaches to urban resilience and climate adaptation.
The UN is also supporting SDG localization efforts, data systems strengthening, youth engagement, innovation, and inclusive development initiatives.
In addition, the UN continues to support regional economic cooperation, sustainable connectivity, and policy dialogue linked to the South Caucasus and wider Europe and Central Asia region, through participation in the SPECA Multi-Partner Trust Fund and other mechanisms.
The UN system stands ready to continue supporting Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijan is carrying out large-scale reconstruction and reintegration efforts in areas affected by conflicts. From the UN development perspective, what opportunities and challenges do you see in this process?
- The scale of reconstruction and reintegration efforts presents both significant opportunities and complex challenges.
There is a major opportunity to build resilient, inclusive, climate-responsive, and future-oriented communities from the outset. This includes sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy solutions, smart city approaches, resilient housing, public services, and economic opportunities for communities and populations affected by displacement.
At the same time, post-conflict recovery is always multidimensional. It requires long-term planning, institutional coordination, environmental considerations, social cohesion, livelihoods, and strong community engagement.
The UN system stands ready to continue supporting Azerbaijan through integrated expertise, policy support, partnerships, and international experience from other recovery contexts globally.
No single institution can address these challenges alone
- How important is coordination between UN agencies, governments, and international financial institutions in addressing urban development and post-conflict recovery challenges?
- Coordination is absolutely essential. No single institution can address these challenges alone.
Urban development and post-conflict recovery require integrated solutions that combine financing, policy support, technical expertise, infrastructure investment, social inclusion, and long-term planning.
The UN Resident Coordinator system plays an important role in bringing together different UN entities, governments, international financial institutions, development partners, and local stakeholders around common priorities.
We increasingly see that successful recovery and urban transformation depend on strong partnerships and alignment between national strategies, local implementation, and financing frameworks.
WUF13 itself reflects this approach by bringing together the UN system, governments, IFIs, local authorities, academia, and civil society around shared urban solutions.
- The South Caucasus region faces challenges related to climate change, migration, and infrastructure modernization. In your view, what role can regional cooperation play in addressing these issues?
- Regional cooperation is becoming increasingly important because many of these challenges are transboundary by nature.
Climate risks, migration dynamics, transport connectivity, water management, trade corridors, and energy systems all require coordinated regional approaches.
The South Caucasus has significant potential to strengthen cooperation around sustainable connectivity, green transition, climate resilience, digital infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, and economic integration.
Regional dialogue and cooperation can also contribute to confidence-building, stability, and shared prosperity.
The United Nations strongly supports regional cooperation platforms and integrated regional analysis because sustainable development challenges today cannot be addressed effectively in isolation.
Azerbaijan already demonstrates strong ambition in digitalization and innovation
- Digital transformation and smart city initiatives are becoming increasingly important globally. How can countries like Azerbaijan benefit from international experience in this field?
- Countries like Azerbaijan can benefit greatly from international experience by adapting global best practices to local realities and national priorities.
Smart city approaches are not only about technology. They are about improving quality of life, public services, energy efficiency, mobility, environmental sustainability, governance, and citizen participation.
International cooperation allows countries to exchange expertise on digital governance, smart infrastructure, urban data systems, green mobility, resilient buildings, and digital public services.
Azerbaijan already demonstrates strong ambition in digitalization and innovation, and WUF13 provides an excellent platform to strengthen partnerships and learn from experiences across different regions.
The key is ensuring that digital transformation remains inclusive, people-centered, and aligned with broader sustainable development goals.
WUF13 can become an important catalyst for deeper and longer-term cooperation
- Following WUF13, what new opportunities for cooperation do you see between Azerbaijan and the United Nations system in the areas of sustainable urban development and regional partnerships?
- WUF13 can become an important catalyst for deeper and longer-term cooperation.
We see strong opportunities in areas such as resilient urban planning, SDG localization, green transition, sustainable infrastructure, climate adaptation, digital innovation, and urban financing.
There is also significant potential for expanding partnerships on regional connectivity, trade corridors, environmental resilience, and South-South cooperation.
Azerbaijan’s growing international engagement and strategic-geographical position create opportunities for the country to contribute further to regional dialogue and development partnerships across the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond.
The United Nations remains committed to supporting Azerbaijan through integrated policy support, partnerships, and knowledge exchange.
WUF13 is an important opportunity to contribute new ideas
- What message would you like to share with young professionals, students, and policymakers from the region who will participate in WUF13 in Baku?
- My message would be to actively engage, exchange ideas, and think boldly about the future of cities and communities.
Young people are not only future leaders. They are already shaping innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, climate action, and social change today.
The challenges we face are complex, but this generation also brings enormous creativity, technological knowledge, and commitment to sustainable development.
WUF13 is an important opportunity to learn from international experiences, build partnerships, and contribute new ideas that can help shape more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable societies.
The future of urban development will depend greatly on the ability of younger generations to work across sectors, across borders, and across disciplines to build solutions that leave no one behind.
