The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026. The theme of WUF13 is: Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.
UN-Habitat, UNICEF, and UN-ESCWA showcase how on-the-ground pilots allow cities to test, adapt, and demonstrate the viability of integrated climate resilient solutions for the water sector, moving from pilots to long term policy impacts. Throughout the Arab region, major urban centers are struggling to keep up with climate change induced water scarcity coupled with rising water demands due to growing populations, conflict and natural disaster induced displacement. This session highlights how UN joint work (UN-Habitat, UNICEF, UN-ESCWA) is strengthening enabling environments for implementation of the New Urban Agenda through policy advice and the implementation of innovative pilot interventions that act as proof of concept, specifically in cities like Amman and Irbid (Jordan) and Zahle (Lebanon) ultimately translating from project to policy. Climate mainstreamed urban planning exercises are also a key component of this effort, demonstrating the need and value of water resilient projects and policies. In cities in the Arab region, UN-Habitat, UNICEF, and ESCWA are implementing nature-based solutions to address water scarcity and increasing risks of flash floods which has led to the development of evidence-based regulatory frameworks, like new climate resilient building codes, for example. By linking implementation with normative support, the UN's joint work with local officials ensures lasting impact and sustainability, catalyzes institutional uptake, and embeds resilience-oriented practices into long-term urban and water governance systems. Facilitator: Sara Hess Partners: UNESCWA - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (Lebanon) UN-Habitat (Jordan) UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund (Lebanon) Panelists: Ms. Alia Asad, Urban Programme and Partnerships Officer, UN-Habitat (Jordan) Ms. Mona Al Bitar, Engineer in Charge, Directorate General of Urban Planning in Lebanon (Lebanon) Ms. Ghada Alsaid, Regional Project Coordinator, UN-Habitat (Jordan) Ms. Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, UN Resident Coordinator, United Nations Resident Coordinators office (Jordan) Mr. Khaled Kheder, Director of Plans, Ministry of Local Administration and Environment of Syria (Syrian Arab Republic) Ms. Leila Youssef, Director, Directorate of International Programs and Development, Greater Irbid Municipality Jordan (Jordan)
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