UN Official Says Many Municipalities Struggle To Address Urban Challenges

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Many municipalities around the world continue to face major difficulties in responding to growing urban challenges, a United Nations official said Wednesday during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.

Alina Matta made the remarks during a training session titled “Policies, Documents, and Material Resources: Building Capacity for Crisis Preparedness and Response.”

“Today's session addresses a question that is becoming increasingly urgent for cities and local governments worldwide: what does a municipality need to remain functional, responsive, and resilient in the face of overlapping crises?” Matta said.

She noted that local governments are often the first institutions to respond to emergencies, including climate disasters, infrastructure failures, conflict-driven displacement, and severe economic shocks.

“However, through the work of UN-Habitat and UNITAC, we continue to see that many municipalities face significant challenges in addressing urban crises,” she said.

Matta stressed that strengthening local institutional capacity is essential for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities.

“Preparedness is not only about reacting to emergencies after they occur,” she said.“It is also about developing systems, partnerships, and knowledge that allow cities to anticipate risks, maintain essential services, and protect vulnerable populations.”

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