Local Administration Ministry, UN-Habitat Program discuss enhancing cooperation

Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Head of the Supreme Relief Committee, Lamia Shakour, discussed with the Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Hiroshi Takabayashi, and the accompanying delegation, prospects of strengthening cooperation between the two sides, through the implementation of early recovery projects, the rehabilitation of infrastructure and public facilities, and environmental projects.

Shakour stressed the importance of the existing cooperation between the Ministry and the program, especially programs related to capacity building and training for administrative units, and developing local recovery plans, in addition to implementing the integrated early recovery project after last year’s earthquake. She pointing to the need for the program to examine ways to address the impact of reducing the budgets of United Nations organizations’ programs on following up on the progress work in the various fields related to their tasks in Syria.

Regarding the scope of the Ministry’s work in protecting and preserving the environment, Minister Shakour pointed to the importance of implementing the project of increasing the capacity of local communities in Eastern Ghouta in the Damascus countryside to resist climate change so as to meet the challenges of water scarcity through integrated management of natural resources and immediate adaptation interventions,” which is implemented in partnership with the Habitat, the United Nations Development Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.

For his part, Takabayashi stressed the continued consolidation of work with the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, despite the challenges resulting from the reduction in budgets allocated for this, and to follow up on the implementation of programs and projects related to rehabilitating the infrastructure, promoting recovery and renewable energies.