The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is considering opening a project office in Ashgabat. The announcement was made by Irfan Ali, director of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, during the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Forum held as part of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) on Monday in Baku, Trend reported.

According to Irfan Ali, the UN-Habitat regional office in Istanbul coordinates the organization’s activities in 25 countries across Eastern and Southern Europe, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as in Russia and Türkiye.

UN-Habitat currently implements country programs in Kyiv, Moscow, Kosovo and Baku. The organization expressed hope that a project office will also begin operating in Ashgabat in the near future.

Irfan Ali also noted that countries across the region are demonstrating high rates of urbanization, particularly in Eastern Europe.

UN-Habitat is a specialized United Nations program focused on promoting sustainable and environmentally safe urban development.