• The Arab region, home to 357 million people in 2010, is one of the most urbanized in the world, with 56 per cent of its residents living in cities. Total population is projected to double by 2050, by which time the region will be 68 per cent urbanized.
• Over 56 % of the Arab population presently lives in urban areas, while in some countries the urban population is as high as 100% . The Gulf countries, with almost 80 per cent of the population living in urban areas, it is one of the most urbanized regions in the world. It is followed by the Maghreb countries with a 63% of urbanization rate. The average urban population for Gulf region is 80%, while in the Maghreb is above 70%.
• Arab cities are a major source of economic and human development due to the opportunities. Many cities are also important historical and cultural centers.
THE PROJECT
UNDP, UNISDR and SDC have joined hands to promote safety from disaster risks in the Arab cities by helping them to implement the Aqaba Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Cities.
Arab Mayor’s Declaration on DRR in Cities was adopted during the First Arab Conference on DRR, held in Aqaba, Jordan, from 19-21 March 2013. The Declaration prescribes 16 targets to be implemented by local and national governments till 2017.
A number of cities in the Arab region and in close-by regions have setup good practices on disaster risk reduction such as Aqaba, Dubai, Fez, Istanbul, Jeddah, Sharm El Sheikh, Tehran among others. The Project will facilitate the sharing of these good practices.
The Project also aims to reduce disaster losses in selected Arab cities by integrating disaster risk reduction in regular development programs through implementing the Aqaba Declaration on DRR in Cities.
UNDP, UNISDR and SDC have joined hands to promote safety from disaster risks in the Arab cities by helping them to implement the Aqaba Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Cities.
Arab Mayor’s Declaration on DRR in Cities was adopted during the First Arab Conference on DRR, held in Aqaba, Jordan, from 19-21 March 2013. The Declaration prescribes 16 targets to be implemented by local and national governments till 2017.
A number of cities in the Arab region and in close-by regions have setup good practices on disaster risk reduction such as Aqaba, Dubai, Fez, Istanbul, Jeddah, Sharm El Sheikh, Tehran among others. The Project will facilitate the sharing of these good practices.
The Project also aims to reduce disaster losses in selected Arab cities by integrating disaster risk reduction in regular development programs through implementing the Aqaba Declaration on DRR in Cities.
