The International Association for Territorial Development (IATD) organized the international session “Equitable Property Taxation as a Driver of Sustainable Urban Development,” held in Baku as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum — World Urban Forum 13.
The event took place on 21 May 2026 and brought together representatives of government authorities, professional and academic communities, international organizations, and experts from Russia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, India, and Egypt.
The World Urban Forum is convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme — UN-Habitat — and is one of the world’s largest international platforms dedicated to sustainable urbanization. WUF13 was held in Baku from 17 to 22 May under the overarching theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.” The Forum attracted more than 57,000 participants from 176 countries.
The session was held in partnership with the State Agency for Land Resources, Cadastre, Geodesy and Cartography under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy of the Republic of Tajikistan. The participation of relevant government authorities made it possible to examine property taxation from both expert and practical perspectives, drawing on experience in land resource management, cadastral registration, and the establishment of the tax base.
The discussion focused on the role of equitable and transparent property taxation in sustainable urban development. Participants discussed how reliable information on land plots and real estate, modern cadastral valuation methods, and the digitalization of management processes could help strengthen the financial foundations of municipalities.
Experts noted that property taxes are not only a source of budget revenue but also an important instrument of territorial policy. An effective taxation system makes it possible to allocate additional resources to the development of engineering and transport infrastructure, the improvement of public spaces, the construction of social facilities, and the enhancement of urban services.
Particular attention was paid to establishing a reliable tax base. This requires up-to-date cadastral data, a comprehensive inventory of real estate, modern geographic information systems, and transparent mechanisms for determining property values. Participants also considered opportunities to integrate data on land, capital construction facilities, infrastructure, and urban planning restrictions into a unified digital territorial management system.
One of the key issues was the equitable distribution of the tax burden. A modern taxation model should reflect the actual value of real estate while also providing safeguards for socially vulnerable groups. This approach makes it possible to link increases in urban property values to the development of the territory itself and to ensure a more balanced contribution by property owners to financing urban infrastructure.
The session examined international approaches to cadastral valuation, property rights registration, and land and property asset management. Representatives of different countries exchanged experience in implementing digital solutions, improving legislation, and enhancing the transparency of decision-making.
Participants also focused on countries experiencing rapid urban growth, where population increases and expanding development place additional pressure on infrastructure and municipal budgets. Under such conditions, the land and property sector becomes one of the principal sources of data and resources for territorial development planning.
The session organized by IATD demonstrated that cadastral valuation, property taxation, digitalization, and spatial planning should be addressed as elements of an integrated system. Reliable real estate data enables national and municipal authorities to make better-informed decisions, improve the efficiency of land use, and create conditions for attracting investment.
The international composition of the session made it possible to compare different models of land resource management and identify areas for further cooperation. Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in continuing professional dialogue, exchanging best practices, and jointly implementing projects in cadastral systems, property valuation, and digital territorial management.
The organization of an international session at World Urban Forum 13 marked an important milestone in IATD’s development as a platform bringing together government authorities, experts, and professional organizations from different countries. The Association will continue to foster international expert cooperation and support the implementation of modern territorial development tools.