Governments and regional organizations from across the Arab States have agreed to strengthen cooperation on urban resilience and disaster risk reduction during a three-day regional workshop held in Algiers. The meeting brought together representatives from governments, United Nations agencies, technical institutions and city authorities to discuss practical ways to make cities safer, more resilient and better prepared for future risks.

The workshop was organized by the League of Arab States, the Arab Centre for the Prevention of Earthquake and Other Natural Disasters, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), UN-Habitat and regional partners. The discussions focused on supporting the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Regional Focus Shifts Toward Risk-Informed Urban Development

Participants examined how disaster risk reduction can be integrated into urban planning, governance and public investment. The discussions covered climate change, rapid urbanization, infrastructure growth and the increasing frequency of natural hazards such as floods, droughts and extreme heat.

Officials emphasized stronger coordination between national and local governments to improve disaster preparedness and protect economic development. Sessions also explored the role of resilient infrastructure, digital technologies, nature-based solutions and sustainable financing in reducing future risks.

Cities Share Practical Resilience Strategies

UNDRR presented progress under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative. Participants reviewed tools including the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, resilience action plans, disaster risk financing, disaster loss databases and the Early Warnings for All initiative.

Representatives from Salalah and Alexandria shared examples of local resilience projects. The discussions highlighted the value of cooperation between cities and regional knowledge exchange to improve disaster preparedness.

New Regional Committee Established

A major outcome of the meeting was the formal establishment of the Arab Urban Resilience Committee. Oman was selected to chair the committee, while Algeria and the State of Palestine will serve as vice-chairs.

The committee is expected to strengthen regional cooperation, promote technical knowledge sharing and support the implementation of risk-informed urban development policies across the Arab States. Participants concluded the workshop by reaffirming their commitment to building resilient cities that can better withstand future environmental, climate and disaster-related challenges.