Ammon News - Jordan has wrapped up its participation in the 12th World Urban Forum, organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and hosted by Egypt. The event saw the participation of over 160 countries and addressed pressing urban development issues.

Jumana Al-Attiyat, Director General of the Jordan Housing and Urban Development Corporation, participated in a regional session focused on strengthening comprehensive housing strategies in the Arab region.

During her presentation, Al-Attiyat emphasized the significant link between the housing sector and demographic shifts. She pointed out that forced migration has led to a surge in underserved areas, increased pressure on infrastructure, and a rise in both rental housing demand and property prices putting financial strain on citizens.

Al-Attiyat also chaired a session organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM), where she presented a paper developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The paper, titled "Urban Heritage and Traditional Building Skills in Southern Mediterranean Countries," explored the role of heritage and traditional construction techniques in urban development.


On the sidelines of the forum, Al-Attiyat met with Erfan Ali, Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat, to discuss key issues, including the update of Jordan's national housing strategy and the progress of its new urban development plan. They also discussed technical support for the establishment of an urban housing observatory in Jordan.

The forum brought together a wide array of specialists and experts who tackled various challenges and proposed solutions on topics such as the future of housing, climate change, technological advancements in urban planning, sustainable transportation networks, infrastructure improvements, service quality enhancement, and the expansion of green spaces in cities. Petra