Bishkek, May 19, 2026 /Kabar/. On May 18, President Sadyr Zhaparov addressed the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The head of state participated in the forum at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Approximately 20 heads of state and government, high-ranking officials, heads of international organizations, and more than 45,000 delegates from 182 countries also joined the discussion of the global agenda for sustainable urban development.
Sadyr Zhaparov emphasized that the forum, dedicated to the theme "Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities," creates a unique platform for discussing issues of urbanization, sustainable development, climate change, and housing affordability.
In the context of these global challenges, Kyrgyzstan, as a mountainous country, prioritizes the sustainable development of mountainous regions.
"Unfortunately, melting glaciers, climate change, population migration, and increasing pressure on ecosystems are currently negatively impacting cities located in high-mountain and foothill areas. These small, yet historically rich cities with unique cultural characteristics face a number of serious challenges," the president said.
Speaking about the sustainable development of mountain regions, he outlined three strategic areas: ensuring ecosystem resilience, developing innovations for mountain urbanism, and creating comfortable living and working conditions for citizens and visitors.
The head of state emphasized the particular importance of developing cities located high above sea level. Taking into account Kyrgyzstan's experience and accumulated knowledge in this area, he proposed considering the possibility of establishing an International Association of Mountain Cities and expressed his willingness to locate its headquarters in Bishkek.
Emphasizing rapid urbanization, Sadyr Zhaparov noted that the primary burden of creating decent living conditions for citizens falls on cities.
"Today, cities are becoming centers of economic development, innovation, and human capital.
At the same time, cities are the first to face the consequences of climate change, the growing burden on infrastructure, housing problems, and security issues," the president said, emphasizing that housing development is a priority area of state policy.
He also noted that in 2025 alone, more than 1.8 million square meters of housing were commissioned in Kyrgyzstan. This includes over 4,600 families receiving keys to new apartments through mortgage financing. Currently, more than 70,000 apartments are under construction across the country, creating a solid foundation for further expanding housing affordability.
Furthermore, Sadyr Zhaparov emphasized Bishkek's significant experience in implementing urban governance reforms and noted that late last year, Bishkek opened the first eco-technological solid waste recycling plant in Central Asia.
The plant is designed to process up to 365,000 tons of waste per year, generating up to 30 megawatts of electricity.
"For comparison, previously, approximately 80,000 tons of coal were burned annually to produce this amount of electricity, resulting in approximately 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
"Similar facilities are also planned for construction in the cities of Karakol and Osh," the head of state said, inviting forum participants to learn more about this project at Kyrgyzstan's exhibition pavilion at Urban Expo, an exhibition taking place on the sidelines of WUF13.
Concluding his speech, the president emphasized that Kyrgyzstan is ready to share its experience and adopt best practices from other countries. He also expressed confidence that, through joint efforts, sustainable, inclusive, and comfortable cities will be built for future generations, where people, nature, and progress will exist in harmony.