The future of migration governance will no longer be shaped only at borders, but also in neighborhoods, municipalities, and cities, Runze Wang, Program Manager of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme Country Office in Azerbaijan, said during the session titled “Migration and Cities: A Framework for Safe, Innovative and Sustainable Governance” held within the framework of WUF13, APA reports.
He noted that migration is not a peripheral issue for urban development: “On the contrary, it is one of the key factors through which the strengths and weaknesses of urban governance systems become most visible. When people migrate due to economic opportunities, conflicts, environmental stress, or climate change, they first arrive in cities and settlements. This is because they seek housing, services, transport, employment opportunities, access to information, and simply a sense of belonging there. It is precisely at this point that the role of urban governance institutions becomes even more important. Our activities cover areas such as forced displacement, reconstruction, policy, land use, urban planning, and municipal finance. These systems determine whether migration becomes a factor creating pressure or one generating resilience and shared opportunities.
Unfortunately, migration governance is often carried out through a reactive approach and is mainly built around humanitarian projects. This is understandable because during crises, population movements often turn into long-term urban realities. Temporary solutions gradually become permanent urban structures. Therefore, urban planning, investment decisions, and service models should not merely react to migration, but anticipate it in advance.”
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
