“Baku has become a center of global dialogue and resilience," Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu said during her speech at the Leaders’ Session within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, APA reports.
She stated that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Baku has become one of the important centers of global connectivity, dialogue and future-oriented initiatives: “Baku has become not only a platform for energy connectivity, but also for international cooperation and ideas.”
The Albanian representative noted that the Baku Process, the Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, COP29, climate action and resilience initiatives have turned the city into a center for discussing the world’s most pressing issues.
According to her, the theme of WUF13, “Housing the World: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities,” carries particular relevance against the backdrop of global challenges: “The global housing crisis already affects approximately 3 billion people.”
It was stated in the speech that behind these statistics stand families living without security, children deprived of services and communities left vulnerable to natural disasters.
The Albanian representative also spoke about her country’s transformation process in the field of urbanization and urban planning. It was noted that although Albanian cities faced problems of neglect and unplanned development after communism, the reconstruction of the capital Tirana in particular became an important turning point: “Cities and public spaces shape people’s self-confidence and sense of belonging.”
The representative emphasized that the “urban renaissance” program implemented in Albania has created conditions for cities to become greener, more comfortable and open to economic opportunities.
She stated that while 4.1 million tourists visited Albania in 2015, this figure exceeded 12.4 million in 2025.
It was also noted in the speech that the 2019 earthquake became an important lesson for the country: “Housing is not just a roof, it is security and dignity.”
Albana Koçiu stated that the country is currently transitioning to a new stage of development based on sustainable construction, green cities and “smart city” technologies: “Smart cities are no longer a necessity of the future, but a necessity of today.”
