Pakistan, Azerbaijan join hands for resilient, sustainable urban planning

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Sunday join hands for a climate-resilient and sustainable urban planning keeping in view the real challenges faced by the region, ARY News reported.

The development came during a meeting between Caretaker Planning Minister for Development and Special Initiatives, Muhammad Sami Saeed and Chairman State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Azerbaijan Anar Guliyev.

The minister is on an official visit to the Second Azerbaijan National Urban Forum and Global Observance of World Habitat Day 2023, themed “Resilient Cities as a Driving Force of Economic Development and Fighting Inequalities,” organized by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

During the sidelines meeting with his counterpart, the minister appreciated the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts undertaken by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture in conflict-affected areas of Azerbaijan.

“It was mutually acknowledged that Urban Planning is a real challenge and forums like Azerbaijan National Urban are much needed to find out solutions, while learning from the international experiences and for chalking out a collective way forward, remarked, the Planning Minister, while meeting with his counterpart.

It is noted that last year, the first National Urban Forum was held in Aghdam city of Azerbaijan, which was also totally destroyed, and now there is also a big construction activity there. The second forum is being held in Zangilan, which is now being totally reconstructed along with the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Both the sides have agreed to further strengthen the relationship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan by exploring joint strategies for socioeconomic development of the people of both countries.

The Planning Minister appreciated the government of Azerbaijan for conducting a successful Second National Urban Forum which plays a vital role in the reconstruction of destroyed cities with the theme of “Resilient cities as a driving force of economic development and fighting inequalities.

During the meeting, Pakistan’s Caretaker Planning Minister highlighted the recently launched Resilient, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) for Pakistan Floods 2022 which is playing a vital role in making a resilient infrastructure.

It is noted that since Flood 2022, the Planning Ministry has been approving climate resilient development projects while directing the provinces to follow it strictly.
Pakistan’s two provinces Sindh and Balochistan were badly hot by the flood affected 33 million people.

However, Pakistan successfully coped with the situation with the help of the international community.