State of Arab Cities 2012 UN-Habitat Report & Conference – “Challenges of Urban Transition: Municipal Management and Urban Development Conference For Sustainability in Arab States,” Kuwait, May 2012

Abstract

In 2012, UN-Habitat launched the first State of Arab Cities report and conference — to address urbanization trends and challenges in the four major Arab and Middle Eastern regions: Mashreq, Maghreb, Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Southern Tier Countries (defined below). With Mona Serageldin as Team Leader, I2UD contributed a significant body of research for the conference, “Challenges of Urban Transition: Municipal Management and Urban Development Conference for Sustainability in Arab States.” The conference was hosted by the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS) and the Kuwait Knowledge Development Regional Centre.

The I2UD team compiled urban housing and demographic data for nations in Maghreb and Mashreq. The I2UD team reviewed 180 documents for each region, covering: “Population and Urbanization;” “Growing Role of Economic Cities;” “Urban Development and Housing Conditions;” “Transportation and Mobility;” “Urban Environmental Challenges;” “Urban Governance Systems;” “Transnational Migration;” and “Emerging Urban Issues and Innovations.” Additional materials includes data on regional Water Security, Food Security, Energy Security, and Air Pollution.

Documents include I2UD’s inception report, progress report, a I2UD Board Meeting presentation on the project, and a Kuwaiti Conference presentation (from the “Municipal Management and Urban Development Conference for Sustainability in Arab States,” from Kuwait on May 7, 2012). The Final Report for UN-Habitat State of Arab Cities 2012 lays out urban development and migration issues for nations in Mashreq, Maghreb, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Southern Tier regions, including I2UD’s contributions.

Maghreb includes Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia; Mashreq includes Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria; the Gulf Cooperation Council includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates; the Southern Tier includes Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Excerpt

Project Year:	2010-2012
Project Type:	Regional Report
Geographic Regions:	Middle East / North Africa
Reports:	State of Arab Cities: (Inception Report Presentation, November 2010) State of Arab Cities: (Progress Report Presentation, April 2011) State of Arab Cities: (Board Meeting Presentation, November 2011) State of Arab Cities: (Kuwait Conference Presentation, May 2012) State of Arab Cities: (Final Report, UN-Habitat, December 2012)
Authors:	François Vigier; Mona Serageldin; María-Luisa Fernández; Kendra Leith; Linda Shi
Sponsors:	UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS)
Categories:	Urban Planning

ID:	2010_07_001

Related I2UD Projects

Related I2UD Photograph Galleries

Gallery 1 – Algeria: Algiers, November 1987 and September 1988

Gallery 3 – Bahrain: Manama and Muharraq, 1980s

Galleries 6-7 – Egypt: Cairo and Helwan, 1986, 1990

Gallery 10 – Morocco: Fes, Casablanca, and Rabat, 1983-1993

Gallery 13 – Tunisia: Tunis, 1978-1990

October 2003July 2025

“Local Authority-Driven Interventions to Improve the Lives of Slum Dwellers,” Mona Serageldin for UN Millennium Task Force 8 on “Improving the Lives of Slum Dwellers,” 2003

Abstract

In October 2003, Dr. Mona Serageldin participated on “Task Force 8,” a working group for the United Nations Millennium Project, directed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General.

The Task Force 8 sought to recommend strategies to achieve the defined Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2004. MGGs were targets to reduce global poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and gender discrimination for populations around the world.

Dr. Serageldin and CUDS authors prepared an assessment of 50 best practices worldwide as a background paper for the Task Force 8. Their paper highlighted the key features underlying their success, namely, partnerships, strategic priorities, multi-sectoral action plans, and focused on programs targeting vulnerable populations and marginalized “informal settlements,” here also termed “slums.”

Documents include the October 2003 Report, Goal Indicators, a case study on the Tsiganes in Greece, and a presentation titled “Partnerships and Targeted Programs.”

See also, the UN-Habitat Mandate for the Millennium Development Project initiative, which includes a guide section on “The Do’s and Don’ts of Slum Upgrading.”

Excerpt

[Excerpt: Report, October 2003, 1. Executive Summary – Overview, p. 5]

1.1 Overview

“This background paper is based on an extensive review of local authority-driven initiatives that managed to improve the lives of slum dwellers. The review discusses the growing role of local authorities with reference to the institutional context conditioning government action. The imbalances created by asymmetrical decentralization of powers, responsibilities and resources is a cross cutting theme prompting local authorities to seek strategic partners for their initiatives. The conceptual framework used to define the range of locally driven initiatives that can improve the lives of slum dwellers underscores their breadth and diversity. The review focuses on process, strategy and action, and how these were shaped by the nature of the challenges that local authorities had to cope with and the partnerships they managed to structure in order to access resources, engage poor communities, reach marginalized populations and address vulnerable groups.”

“The performance of these institutional frameworks and decision making processes are assessed with reference to the difficulties encountered and results achieved. The selected initiatives presented in the different sections of the paper are grouped under headings highlighting recent trends and pointing to future directions. The paper focuses on initiatives implemented during the past decade in different economic, social, political and cultural settings. Emerging trends with regard to processes, strategies, and actions highlight the expanding scope of partnerships and the emphasis on empowerment and social inclusion.”

Project Year:	2003
Project Type:	Research Paper
Geographic Regions:	Weihai, China (Conference Location) / Sofades, Greece (Case Study)
Reports:	UN Millennium Task Force 8: (Report, October 2003) UN Millennium Task Force 8: (Goals Indicators) UN Millennium Task Force 8: The Tsiganes in Greece (Case Study, September 2003) UN Millennium Task Force 8: Partnerships and Targeted Programs (Presentation, November 2003) UN Millennium Task Force 8: UN-HABITAT Mandate for the Millennium Development Project Initiative
Authors:	Mona Serageldin; Elda Sollos; Luis Valenzuela; Peter Stathopoulos
Sponsors:	United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat)
Categories:	Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading

ID:	2003_10_001

Related I2UD Projects

Related I2UD Photograph Galleries

Gallery 2 – Côte d’Ivoire: Adjamé, Abidjan, 1990-1995

Gallery 4 – Chile: Santiago, Concepción, and Talcahuano, 1992-1993

Galleries 6-7: Egypt: Cairo and Helwan, 1986, 1990

Gallery 16 – Venezuela: Caracas, 1989

August 2001July 2025

“Development of Infrastructure and Initiating of Sustainable Projects in Elim, South Africa,” Report for the 2001 UN-Habitat Best Practices Leadership Programme for Elim Historic Settlement, Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) prepared a report “Development of Infrastructure and Initiating of Sustainable Projects in Elim” for submission to the UN-Habitat 2001 Best Practices Local Leadership Programme, based on the upgrading initiative that began in 1995 on the historic settlement of Elim, Western Cape Province, in the Republic of South Africa.

Primary initiative goals included:
1) Upgrade the basic town infrastructure and services;
2) Improve the living standards of the residents;
3) Improve economic growth within the community;
4) Preserve the historical character of the village; and
5) Create employment opportunities, agriculture development, social health and sustainable community development in Elim.

The project assisted in upgrading sewage systems, streets and stormwater systems and the electrical reticulation system. Prior to these upgrades, sewage would flow through the streets and the town reservoir would often dry up in the summer months, causing a shortage of water.

Excerpt

[Excerpt: Summary, page 3]:

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:	2001
Project Type:	Development Strategy
Geographic Regions:	Elim, Western Cape, South Africa
Reports:	Development of Infrastructure and Initiating of Sustainable Projects, Elim, South Africa: (Report, August 2001)
Authors:	CUDS Team
Sponsors:	United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat)
Categories:	Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading

ID:	2001_08_001

Related I2UD Projects

Related by – Work in South Africa

“Review of the South African Government’s Grant-Funded Municipal Infrastructure Programs,” 1998-1999

2001 Best Practices Leadership Programme: “Development of Infrastructure and Initiating of Sustainable Projects in Elim,” Western Cape, South Africa

“Township Development Strategy for Emfuleni Municipality,” Sedibeng, Gauteng, South Africa, 2009

“Technical Assistance to Ladysmith/Emnambithi Local Municipality,” South Africa, 2010

“Technical Assistance to Lesedi Local Municipality,” Gauteng Province, South Africa, 2011

January 1988July 2025

Design Studio 1988: “Urban Infrastructure Planning and Programing in Developing Countries,” Chapters 1-7, Seminar Curriculum

Abstract

The Design Studio from Spring 1988, “Urban Infrastructure: Planning and Programming in Developing Countries” was developed by Dr. Mona Serageldin, with students and scholars from the Aga Khan Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

The 1988 Design Studio outlined problems and urban infrastructure programs, illustrated by maps, demographics and case study reports. Curriculum materials give particular attention to support for the urban poor, with case studies on Indonesia, Bahrain, and Zhejiang Province in China. Seven chapters address infrastructure issues in light of rapid urbanization, including unemployment and underemployment in urbanizing countries, and an increased demand for basic needs like water supply and shelter.

A final Design Studio student report, on the Kingdom of Bahrain, features 99 pages of rich spatial, social, commercial and architectural overview of the historic city of Muharraq, Bahrain. Muharraq (Arabic: المحرق or al-Muḥarraq) is Bahrain’s third largest city. See: Organization of World Heritage Cities. Section 5.0 features a paper condensed from Arabic, by Dr. Tareq Wali: “Traditional Urban Fabric and Architecture,” including a substantial list of Tables, Maps, and References. Sections cover the historical evolution of the district: 5.1: The Development of Muharraq; 5.2 Morphology of the Traditional Urban Fabric & The Organization of Space; 5.3 Commercial Element; 5.4 Residential Elements; and Annex: Notes on Building Materials and Architecture.

Excerpt

[Excerpt, Chapter 6, Paper B, The Urban Operational Perspective. “Introduction to the Course Background,” for “Urban Infrastructure, Planning and Programming in Developing Countries, p. 1.1]

“Virtually without exception in the cities and towns of the developing world, the ability to plan, finance and implement urban development programs and infrastructure programs in particular, is in a state of crisis. Severe deficiencies exist and are growing in nearly all sub-sectors. Explosive population growth, partly through immigration from rural areas and in the cases of the largest cities, natural growth, have placed pressures on city authorities for increased services. For instance, the population of the urban areas in developing countries is likely to grow by 1 billion over the next two decades. Simultaneously with growth to date, the state of existing services has universally deteriorated.”

“At the same time the governments in these countries are trying valiantly to cope with what are prime concerns; large and growing unemployment and under employment, and raised expectations by their peoples of access to minimum basic needs in water supply, shelter, etc. These pressures though countrywide, are visibly focused in the urban areas, and thus influence political, administrative, financial, and economic decisions, not always in a coherent or rational manner.”

“Urbanization involves costs to the public sector which amount to large shares of total public spending. Dense human settlement requires levels of servicing – for health reasons, if no other – which are not as essential elsewhere. Rising incomes increase demands for water, electricity, road space, telephones are similar public services. Expectations for urban amenities and appearances are high, and the costs of providing them are also high. Growth of the larger cities often involves diseconomies of scale – longer pumping distances for water and traveling distances for commuters, for example. In some of the largest metropolitan areas, geographical shape and terrain accentuate the costs of growth: Bangkok, Bombay and Mexico City come to mind. Soaring land prices add to the costs of private and public sector development.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:	1988
Project Type:	Urban Design Studio
Geographic Regions:	Indonesia / Muharraq, Bahrain / Zhejiang Province, China
Reports:	1988 Design Studio: Chapter 1 Course Introduction 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 2 Institutional Aspects of Urban Development 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 3 Urban Development and Multi Sectoral Investment Planning 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 4 Selection of Appropriate Infrastructural Standard and Integration of Systems 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 5 Identification Feasibility and Appraisal of Urban Infrastructure (David Cook) 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 6 Paper A Operation and Maintenance 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 6 Paper B The Urban Operational Perspective 1988 Design Studio: Chapter 7 Institutional and Financial Aspects 1998 Design Studio: Indonesia (Case Study) 1988 Design Studio: Kingdom of Bahrain (Student Report) 1988 Design Studio: Zhejiang Multi-City Project (Case Study)
Authors:	David B. Cook; Mona Serageldin; Geeta Pradhan; Tarek Waly; Jens Lorentzen; John Kirke; David Gilmore
Sponsors:	Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:	Design Studios; Education

ID:	1988_00_004

Related I2UD Projects

Related by – Design Studio Seminars, 1981-2003

Related I2UD Photograph Galleries

Gallery 3 – BAHRAIN: Manama and Muharraq, 1980s