Vucic in Baku: Serbia strengthening Slovakia ties, looking for partners for sustainable development of cities

Photo: YouTube/Tanjug live

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic on Monday spoke from Baku, where he is participating in the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13).

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Vucic first expressed his gratitude for the exceptional welcome he received in Baku and Azerbaijan, and said that he wanted to congratulate Azerbaijan on the great organization of this forum. He also pointed to the extraordinary successes and progress made by Azerbaijan and said this is not only thanks to the diligence and dedicated work, but also to the passion exhibited by President Aliyev.

"I discussed the further strengthening of relations between Serbia and Slovakia with (Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment) Tomas Tarab, as well as the possibilities for improving cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, environmental protection, energy and sustainable urban development. I reiterated my gratitude to Slovakia for its principled support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, as well as for its continued support for our country's EU path. I also used the opportunity to invite Prime Minister Robert Fico to visit Serbia. I am convinced that in the coming period we will further strengthen our political and economic ties and implement important joint projects," President Vucic said after his meeting with Minister Tarab.

Vucic also announced that an innovative platform with creative and innovative solutions for the problems faced by cities will be presented at the EXPO 2027 specialized exhibition in Belgrade.

"As the hosts of EXPO 2027, we will provide a platform for over 140 countries that will present their creative and innovative solutions to the world, from music and sports. At the same time, we are also proud of the fact that EXPO 2027 in Belgrade will provide an opportunity to present concrete innovative solutions that can help solve traffic problems, improve mobility and increase the quality of life of citizens, including new generations of electric planes and smart transport systems," Vucic told the forum.

"We are gathered here in stunning Azerbaijan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, to talk about the challenges and great opportunities concerning urbanization. This 13th World Urban Forum, whose central theme is housing, safe and resilient cities, has gathered various officials, representatives of local governments, non-governmental organizations, scientific communities, and the interests of the global community for the future of cities and the challenges they face are evident and clear," said Vucic.

He pointed out that cities are increasingly the center of economic growth, production, innovation, education, learning, digitization and artificial intelligence.

"Without cities and urban spaces, the world on our planet would be unimaginable, but at the same time, cities are the embodiment of globalization and face today's civilization's numerous probelsm," said Vucic, and added that this includes overpopulation, inadequate housing and uncontrolled pollution.

Earlier in the day, Vucic was welcomed to the forum by the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and Executive Director of UN-Habitat Anaclaudia Rossbach.

"I am proud to represent Serbia at the World Urban Forum, one of the most important global gatherings dedicated to the future of cities, sustainable development and improving the quality of life of citizens. It is of great importance for us to be a part of the conversation about modern solutions in the field of infrastructure, energy, traffic and smart urban development, because only through serious planning and responsible politics can we continue to build a modern and successful country," Vucic wrote in a post on Instagram, and concluded:

"During the forum, I will have numerous meetings with world officials, representatives of international organizations and companies, with the aim of securing new investments, partnerships and additional opportunities for progress and an even better future for Serbia."

(Telegraf.rs)