With the participation of Syria, Eleventh Urban Forum concludes in Poland

Katowice-Poland (ST): The Eleventh Urban Forum concluded its activities today, with the participation of Syria, represented by a delegation headed by the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Eng. Suhail Abdel Latif, and the Syrian Ambassador, Radwan Lutfi, with a closing session that dealt with what governments have accomplished within the framework of the goals of the new urban agenda and future work plans, emphasizing the importance of follow-up work within specific operational time frames.

Over the course of five days, participants in the forum discussed the provision of affordable housing across continents, the challenges facing the housing process, innovative solutions and technologies for cities by 2050, when more than two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities, and the important role that innovative solutions and technologies will play in ensuring that cities of the future are inclusive, safe, flexible and environmentally friendly.

The Syrian delegation participated in coordination meetings with the concerned parties from the UN-Habitat Program in Syria, and held meetings with representatives of friendly countries, in addition to a meeting with the housing ministers participating in the forum.

During the forum, the ways in which urban and housing policies, strategies and procedures can be strengthened to move to a better future were highlighted, and the reconstruction of cities after wars and crises, mechanisms for financing urban projects, and many topics related to urban policies and sustainable development were discussed.

K.Q.