Baku, Azerbaijan. May 22, 2026 – During the closing ceremony of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Mexico City officially received the baton to host the next edition of the leading global gathering on the future of cities. This momentous occasion initiates Latin America’s journey towards WUF14, scheduled for 2028 in the Mexican capital, signifying the Forum’s return to the region since Habitat III.
A Recognition of Latin America’s Urban Solutions
The handover of the baton symbolizes more than just the organization of an international event. It reflects the recognition of Latin American cities’ pivotal role in developing innovative solutions to global challenges such as inequality, housing, climate resilience, and access to basic services.
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, emphasized that the Forum’s return to Latin America opens a new chapter for positioning the region’s urban solutions on the international stage.
“Mexico City will be the place where the world gathers not only to debate but to continue building a better urban future for all. Looking ahead to 2028, we want this Forum to be a turning point: to accelerate the transition from ideas to action, from commitments to results, and from challenges to solutions that elevate people’s quality of life to the next level,” Rossbach stated.
Mexico City’s Vision: People-Centered Urban Policy
Clara Brugada, Head of Government of Mexico City, highlighted that cities worldwide are driving solutions based on community, care, and the protection of common goods. “That will be the spirit of the 14th World Urban Forum. As the 2030 Agenda deadline approaches, we have a shared responsibility: to unite, learn from each other, and boldly reimagine the cities we want to live in and the world we want to leave behind. The country’s capital will host the Forum with a vision centered on people and the right to the city,” Brugada affirmed.
She added, “We propose that this Forum be a space where housing is debated as a right, where the care economy occupies its rightful place at the center of urban policy, and where communities, along with local and national governments, define the action agenda for global transformation.”
An Opportunity to Position Mexico on the Global Stage
Edna Vega Rangel, Secretary of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (Sedatu), underscored that the World Urban Forum’s return to Latin America presents a historic opportunity to position the region’s urban experiences on the international agenda and place Mexico at the center of a global conversation.
“We are confident that it will be a space for dialogue and an important moment to build real solutions to improve the quality of life for billions of people. We will showcase the country’s advancements in housing and urban development led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, with a human rights approach and aligned with the 2030 Agenda,” Rangel expressed.
About the World Urban Forum
Convened by UN-Habitat, the World Urban Forum is the primary global platform for dialogue on sustainable urbanization. Since 2002, it has brought together governments, civil society, academia, the private sector, and communities to exchange experiences and build collective responses to urban challenges.
WUF13, held under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities,” focused on the urgent need to accelerate action on the global housing crisis and strengthen urban resilience.
Looking towards 2028, the baton handover marks the beginning of a new phase for Latin America and the Caribbean: a process to strengthen regional cooperation, share best practices, and consolidate an urban agenda capable of responding to present and future challenges. The journey from Baku to Mexico City has officially begun.
