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Participants at the Cairo meeting. © UN-HABITAT |
The UN-HABITAT Cairo office hosted the first Intra-regional Exchange Event on Urban Planning Methodology in Arab Countries.
This networking event aimed at taking stock of common urban planning practice, share information and identify challenges pertaining to the current state of urban planning processes, methodologies and application. Participants from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Sudan attended the meeting aimed at commencing the synthesizing of an appropriate approach to urban planning in the Arab region.
The event started with introductory remarks by Muhammad Kadhim (UN-HABITAT Head of Cairo Office) and was inaugurated by Mostafa Madbouly, Chairman of the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP). The thematic introduction to global urban planning issues as well as regional concerns were given by key-note speakers from UN-HABITAT headquarters, Daniel Biau and Mohamed El Sioufi. In addition, GOPP briefed the participants on their experience with regards to Strategic Urban Planning in Egypt, thereby setting the scene for presentations and discussions of further urban planning projects and case studies presented by the various participating countries.
Vast population growth and developmental pressure across the Arab region call for enhanced urban planning practices and timely implementation in order to avoid deterioration in the quality of life and emergence of informal settlements. Throughout the presentations and lively discussions, common issues crystallized such as the attempts to decentralize planning efforts and governance concerns to the fragile institutional setups and obsolete planning legislation along with weak enforcement. The lack of reliable data calls for more creative and qualitative urban planning processes. The transfer of technical capacities to the local level as an attempt towards more decentralized urban planning systems has been challenged. Hereby the involvement of key stakeholders in bottom-up urban planning processes has been raised alongside the major challenge of operationalizing and monitoring Urban Development Plans at the local level. Weak local initiatives and centralized budgeting processes often jeopardize the implementation of local priority projects, despite the permanently limited financial and human recourses. Regional planning and rural-urban linkages were considered to be vital in approaching social, economic and environmental concerns. Reclamation of desert land and the expansion of urban areas necessitate improved land tenure schemes.
During a field trip to two small Egyptian cities in El-Gharbeya Governorate, the local administration and supporting urban planners presented the common practice of urban planning at the city and district level as well as the implementation of Strategic Urban Plans. Stimulating discussions followed, and during the last day’s plenary sessions clear challenges for Urban Planning in the Arab World were highlighted and recommendations were shared with the group.
Some 40 participants from Arab Countries as well as from the host country Egypt appreciated the event and suggested further similar events to take place on regular basis in order to maintain momentum and stimulate mutual learning at the regional scale.
A summary report on the event is in preparation. Further information on the outcomes of the event can be obtained from UNHABITAT.Cairo@unhabitat.org. |
