Fourth Day of WUF13 in Baku: Housing, Climate and “Smart Cities” Become the New Global Agenda

Azerbaijan has begun transitioning to a fully electronic permit system for international road freight transport, aiming to accelerate transit procedures and strengthen the country’s position as a key hub of the Middle Corridor linking China and Europe.

The third day of the World Urban Forum WUF13 in Baku on May 19 demonstrated that the global urban agenda is gradually shifting away from abstract discussions about “cities of the future” toward debates over concrete crises — housing shortages, climate threats, the energy transition and the management of megacities through digital technologies.

The restoration of railway passenger transportation between Azerbaijan and Georgia is being viewed as a strategic development in terms of reactivating transport and economic integration across the South Caucasus region. According to a statement by the Georgian government, daily passenger train services between Baku and Tbilisi will resume starting from May 26. The service had been suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the second day of the World Urban Forum WUF13 in Baku, the discussion gradually moved beyond architecture, transportation, and construction. Behind presentations on climate initiatives, digital platforms, and infrastructure networks, a much deeper theme emerged: the growing competition between different visions of the future city.