Baku, 18 May 2026 – The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay attended the opening ceremony of the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev highlighted country’s dedication to eco-friendly urban development. He detailed Baku's transformation from a historic industrial oil center into a green metropolis, citing the cleanup of polluted zones like the “Black City” into eco-friendly spaces. President Aliyev also emphasized the rebuilding of Karabakh and East Zangezur using sustainable smart-city models.
The global urban development strategies discussed at WUF13 align with CICA's long-term objectives and commitment to fostering environmental safety and economic stability across the Asian region.
As the second-largest international event ever hosted in Azerbaijan after the COP29 climate conference, WUF13 underscored Baku’s commitment to green development and sustainable urban transformation by linking its climate action and sustainability goals on the global stage.
On the sidelines of WUF13, Secretary General Sarybay engaged in a substantive bilateral meeting with Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov to discuss advancing CICA’s institutional development and promoting the priorities of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship ahead of the 7th Summit in Baku this October.
During the meeting, executives exchanged views on the negotiation process on the draft of the CICA Charter, ratification process of the Convention on Privileges and Immunities, and maintaining institutional continuity in CICA’s leadership for the 2026-2028 period.
