Shavkat Mirziyoyev puts forward initiatives for sustainable urban development
On May 18, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the Leaders' Summit held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku. The event was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, Vice President of Bulgaria Iliana Iotova, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach. This is reported by Uzdaily.uz .
The forum discussed issues of sustainable urban development, providing affordable housing, improving urban environment quality, and strengthening climate resilience. In his speech, Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that by the middle of the 21st century, nearly 70 percent of the world's population will live in cities, emphasizing that urbanization processes directly impact global security.
The head of state announced that Uzbekistan expects its population to reach 50 million and the urbanization rate to hit 65 percent within the next 15 years. Therefore, expanding housing construction—specifically reaching a 60 percent share of modernized apartments by 2030 and increasing urban green space by 30 percent under the 'Yashil Makon' (Green Space) program—has been set as a priority.
The President also highlighted the importance of addressing informal housing issues and strengthening the role of 'mahallas' in urban planning. To manage these processes effectively, he noted the establishment of the National Urbanization Committee in Uzbekistan and the allocation of up to $2 billion annually for housing programs.
