The president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed the Leaders' Summit during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum today, May 18, presidential press service said.

In his remarks, he noted that the accelerating pace of global urbanization is intensifying a wide range of social challenges.

"Today, nearly 3 billion people worldwide are deprived of adequate housing conditions. More than 1 billion of them live in informal settlements and slums, while over 300 million have no roof over their heads at all. Climate change, heightened international tensions, and economic crises are triggering new waves of global migration, reshaping the distribution of populations across countries and cities. Put simply, urbanization processes are transforming into a critical factor that directly impacts global stability and security," Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

The president highlighted that sustainable urban development is also of strategic significance for Uzbekistan. According to his estimates, the country's population will grow from 38 million to 50 million people over the next 15 years, driving the urbanization rate up from 51% to 65%.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev shared that the volume of annual housing construction in Uzbekistan has surged tenfold over the past decade. The country plans to build 238,000 housing units in 2025 and aims to scale this figure up by another 1.5 times by 2030. Approximately $2 billion is allocated annually to fund affordable housing programs.

He also highlighted that in 2024, Uzbekistan enacted a specific law to address the issue of informal housing, which has already successfully legalized ownership documents for nearly 100,000 homes. Furthermore, as part of the country's efforts to upgrade dilapidated housing, plans are underway to scale up the urban renewal rate from 15% to 60%.

During his remarks, Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward several international initiatives, proposing to:

• Implement the principle of "balanced urbanization" to foster the growth of small and medium-sized cities;
• Establish an international "Alliance of Smart and Safe Cities" to facilitate the exchange of advanced technologies, standards, and practical experiences;
• Host an international forum in Samarkand in 2027 dedicated to pioneering new financing mechanisms and investment models for housing construction;
• Inaugurate a UN-Habitat "Green City" global award;
• Host the 15th session of the World Urban Forum in New Tashkent in 2030, focusing on the theme: "The Role of Local Communities in Sustainable Urban Development."

Concluding his address, Shavkat Mirziyoyev commended the accelerated pace of infrastructure and urban rehabilitation being carried out in Karabakh, emphasizing that Uzbekistan "stands ever ready to contribute" to these reconstruction efforts.