President Iotova calls for people-centred urban development at Baku forum

Iliana Iotova said a city’s success should not be measured by its skyscrapers, technology or economic output, but by whether even its most vulnerable residents have security and a place to call home. Speaking at the summit held within the framework of the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku, dedicated to sustainable cities and housing policy, Iotova stressed that investment must remain focused on people.

“Technology should serve people, not replace them... We need cities that do not divide people by income, generation or origin. Cities that create opportunities,” she said.

Iotova also pointed to some of Bulgaria’s key challenges, including an ageing population, internal migration, depopulation and growing disparities between larger and smaller towns. 

“We know what it means for one city to grow while another nearby fades away. We know what it means when young families cannot afford a home and entire generations lose their sense of perspective. These realities confront us with the same challenges, no matter where in the world we come from,” Iotova said.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova