Tekst toespraak ontbijtbijeenkomst ambassade van Nederlandse deelnemers uit bedrijfsleven, kennisinstellingen, maatschappelijke organisaties en overheden aan World Urban Forum, Hilton Hotel Baku, 18 mei 2026

Good morning everyone,

A warm welcome to all of you here in Baku, and thank you for joining this Dutch breakfast gathering at the World Urban Forum (WUF).

A special thank you to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ambassador Marianne de Jong and Deputy Ambassador Johannes Kirpestein, for bringing us together this morning. And also – by all means – to UN Habitat for organising WUF13.

It is a real pleasure to see such a strong Dutch presence at WUF13, bringing together municipalities, national government representatives, knowledge institutions, civil society organisations, businesses and international partners.

It is the first time that the World Urban Forum is being held in the Caucasus region marking an important milestone in expanding the reach and inclusivity of this global platform.

I join the Forum in several capacities.
As Mayor of The Hague,

as Chair of the International Delegation of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities, VNG,

and as part of the Executive Presidency of United Cities and Local Governments,

the largest global network of local and regional governments.

This week, I also have the honour of serving as Head of Delegation for the Netherlands at the World Urban Forum.

First of all, let me wish all of you a very successful, inspiring and enjoyable World Urban Forum.

And based on my previous experiences at the Forum, I am certain that the coming days here in Baku will bring many valuable conversations, new encounters and hopefully also new partnerships and friendships.

For me personally, it is special to be back at another World Urban Forum.

I attended the Forum in Quito in 2016, where the New Urban Agenda was adopted, as well as the editions in Katowice and Cairo.

And every edition has reminded me of something important:

cities may differ enormously in size, geography and context, but many of the challenges we face, and increasingly also the solutions, are shared.

That is exactly what makes the World Urban Forum so valuable.What I have always appreciated about the Forum is that it brings together such a broad and practical community.

Mayors, ministers, planners, researchers, businesses and civil society are all part of the same conversation.

And very often, the most valuable outcomes are not only found in the formal sessions, but also in the conversations in between.

The Netherlands has a long tradition of integrated urban planning, water management, affordable housing approaches, public-private cooperation and strong local governance.

But equally important is our willingness to learn from others.

Because international exchange matters.

Fora such as this one allow cities, governments and partners to connect practical experience with global ambition, and to translate global agendas into local action.

I therefore hope this week will not only be inspiring, but also truly useful for all of you.

Useful for building partnerships, sharing ideas and strengthening cooperation between Dutch and international partners.

And perhaps some of the conversations started here this morning over breakfast may continue well beyond Baku.

Thank you again for being here, and thank you again Dutch Embassy and UN Habitat, and I wish all of you an excellent World Urban Forum.