On 17 March, the WUF13 – Awareness Session for the Private Sector was held at the Baku SME House as part of a partnership between the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) and the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AZPROMO.
About 100 entrepreneurs from various sectors including industry, green energy, construction, waste management, transport, ICT and finance attended the event, which was organised as part of preparations for the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), set to take place in Baku from 17 to 22 May 2026.
The session aimed to provide private sector representatives with an overview of WUF13 and highlight the opportunities the international platform presents for business.
The event featured remarks by Adil Mammadov, Executive Director of the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company; Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Management Board of KOBIA; Sevil Yahyayeva, Adviser to the Executive Director of AZPROMO; and Anna Soave, Head of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Azerbaijan.
Speakers highlighted that sustainable and innovative urban development solutions, the green economy and public-private cooperation in this field are among the key priorities of WUF13.
Speakers noted that entrepreneurs and start-ups are playing an increasingly prominent role in urban development around the world. In particular, the deployment of smart city technologies and other innovative solutions is seen as crucial to shaping more sustainable urban environments.
Against this backdrop, strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors is expected to play an important role in the successful delivery of urban development projects.
It was also emphasised that WUF13, as a global platform for dialogue and cooperation on urban development, offers an important opportunity to exchange international experience, forge new partnerships and broaden avenues for collaboration. The WUF13 is also expected to open valuable opportunities for the private sector.
During the session, participants were given a detailed overview of the opportunities available as part of WUF13, including the process for participating in the Urban Expo exhibition. Applications to take part in Urban Expo are open online until 31 March 2026.
As part of the event, a promotional video on WUF13 was screened, followed by a presentation on the event delivered by a representative of the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company.
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