Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane will lead South Africa’s delegation to the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026.
Convened under the theme: “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”, the WUF13 aims to raise awareness of sustainable urbanisation among stakeholders and constituencies, including the public; and improve collective knowledge on sustainable urban development through open and inclusive debate, exchange of best practices and policies, and sharing of lessons learnt.
It also aims to promote collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders and constituencies engaged in the advancement and implementation of sustainable urbanisation.
It is highly anticipated that the WUF13 will shine a global spotlight on the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and position housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
South Africa’s participation comes amid continued urban growth. At the time of adopting the New Urban Agenda, the country was over 60% urbanised. Recent data estimates that this figure has grown to 68.82%, with projections indicating it could reach 71.3% by 2030.
While urbanisation has created opportunities for economic and social development, the department noted that it has also contributed to persistent spatial inequality, challenges in basic services delivery, infrastructure backlogs, and overburdened municipal governance systems, which remain defining characteristics of South African cities.
The department noted that informal land use, housing, and livelihoods pose significant developmental, policy, and management challenges within urban spaces.
“These issues highlight both the dynamic nature of urbanisation and the limitations of current planning and service-delivery systems,” the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
WUF13 will explore how housing can advance inclusion, equity, and resilience, with a focus on practical solutions that connect homes to broader urban systems.
This includes integrated planning, climate adaptation, land and tenure security, inclusive governance, and locally driven action.
“The South African delegation will play significant role through participation in dialogue, roundtable discussions, Ministerial bilateral meetings and stakeholder engagements by placing the country at the centre of global discussion aimed at finding lasting solutions to the world housing crises,” it said.
The delegation will include representatives from all spheres of government, Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, entities within the human settlements sector, Members of Executive Councils (MECs), the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), mayors and Members of Mayoral Committees (MMCs) responsible for human settlements from all metropolitan municipalities, as well as civil society and academia. – SAnews.gov.za
