Egypt, UN-Habitat forge new path for urban development, climate resilience

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Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, met Sunday with a delegation from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), including Ahmed Rizk, Director of the UN-Habitat Programme in Egypt.

During the meeting, Minister Fouad reviewed a proposal for a collaborative project aimed at balancing the roles of Egyptian cities. The goal is to create a new framework that enables cities to play significant regional and national roles and to become new centres of urban attraction.

The proposal also seeks to address city-specific challenges, enhance the roles of women, children, and migrants, and consider climate challenges in linking rural and urban areas.

The project will focus on three main areas: enhancing human capital to support future city expansions, attracting investments to boost the economy, and enabling cities and rural communities to tackle climate change. The initiative aims to develop a pioneering model, starting with the cities of Damietta and Assiut, that can be replicated and expanded.

Minister Fouad suggested implementing a pilot project in an Egyptian city or village to create tourist and economic attractions while integrating local communities. She also proposed promoting the Tribal Dialogue Initiative at the Arab regional level, with potential replication in countries like Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed Rizk emphasized the Programme’s commitment to aligning with Egyptian and international procedural and legislative frameworks, as well as the United Nations Human Settlements Agenda. This commitment is reflected in the Programme’s participation in Egypt’s national policies, including the 2050 urban development strategy.

The UN-Habitat representatives also discussed the latest developments in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) study and efforts to integrate the informal sector, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and update the shared bicycle project. They also highlighted the project to support basic water and sanitation services using nature-inspired technology.