UN-HABITAT Second Regional Conference on Creativity and Development Initiatives in Arab Cities, Amman-Jordan April 2009 URBAN OBSERVATORY: GENERAL OVERVIEW

WHAT IS AN URBAN OBSERVATORY? Urban Observatory is a network of Global/National/Local stakeholders responsible for producing, analyzing and monitoring urban indicators and disseminating information.

WHY URBAN OBSERVATORY? 1.Lack of urban information at National, Regional and City level. 3. Lack of systematic connection between data producers 4. Disconnection between data, information and policy formulation 2.Distorted assessment of city potentials and problems

URBAN OBSERVATORY OBJECTIVES Increasing urban knowledge. Linking the knowledge to policies Monitoring urban trends

URBAN OBSERVATORY: UN HABITAT RESPONSE TO THE “URBAN ERA” - Assist Governments and Partners with the Collection and Analysis of urban data to improve urban management. - Enhance the use of knowledge and urban indicators for policy formulation. - Synthesize and disseminate information. UN HABITAT aims at:

URBAN OBSERVATORY: BETTER INFORMATION FOR BETTER DECISION MAKING GUO RUO NUO LUO

Monitoring Global Progress in implementing the Habitat Agenda. Global Urban Observatory Network. FUNCTIONS GLOBAL URBAN OBSERVATORIES: FUNCTIONS AND PRODUCTS Monitoring Global urban conditions and trends. PRODUCTS Global Urban Observatory Database. Global report “State of the World’s Cities”. Monitoring Urban Inequities Programme.

GUO: PRIORITY SECTORS AND INDICATORS SHELTER SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ERADICATION OF POVERTY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOVERNANCE 20 KEY INDICATORS 9 CHECK LIST INDICATORS 13 EXTENSIVE INDICATORS

FROM DATA TO LUO/NUO Priority Sectors Identification Refer to Habitat Agenda Indicators and to other international and local indicators. Formulate indicators and create indicators database Indicators analysis Visualize indicators ( GIS based maps, tables and graphics) Reviewing data Indicators Monitoring System Information products Dissemination of information and networking updating

UN-HABITAT Second Regional Conference on creativity and initiatives in Arab Cities, Amman-Jordan April 2009 URBAN OBSERVATORY IN ARAB REGION

BAHRAIN NATIONAL URBAN OBSERVATORIES EGYPT YEMEN JORDAN SYRIA LEBANON TUNISIA SAUDI ARABIA

NUOs IN ARAB REGION: SECTORS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HOUSING LOCAL GOVERNANCE YEMEN NUO – Housing and informal settlement JORDAN NUO – Poverty, Health, Education, Environment, Water and Shelter HABITAT AGENDA SECTORS PRIORITY SECTORS EGYPT NUO – Housing and land development

NUOs IN ARAB REGION: COMMON CARACHTERISTICS Indicators – from 20 to 50 HABITAT AGENDA and locals. Products – City/Country Profiles, Website, brochures. GIS – All NUOs use GIS. Some need to strengthen their capacity. Networking – All NUOs are in the process of strengthening the network with the existing LUOs and supporting the establishment with additional LUOs.

LOCAL URBAN OBSERVATORIES AMMAN SWEIDA (Syria) TYRE, BINT JBEIL, MARAJAAYOUN AND SIN AL FYL (Lebanon) ALMEDINAH (municipality and 8 cities within Medina Region) TRIPOLI JEDDAH SANA’A, ADEN AND TAIZ KHARTOUM MECCA ALEPPO GASSIMTAIFABHA

LUOs IN ARAB REGION: SECTORS 1. HABITAT AGENDA SECTORS 2. SPECIFIC FOCUS JEDDAH LUO – Environmental planning, urban pollution, Jeddah Strategic Plan and MDGs TRIPOLI LUO – Environment and sustainable development TYRE, BINT JBEIL AND MARJAAYOUN LUOs – Post war reconstruction activities mainly in urban planning and infrastructure needs ALMEDINAH – Regional Planning, Child Protection, Education.

LUOs IN ARAB REGION: COMMON CARACHTERISTICS Indicators – from 20 to 110/ HABITAT AGENDA, MDG and locals. Products – City/Country Profiles, reports, Website, brochures. GIS – All LUOs use GIS. Some need to strengthen their capacity. Networking – All LUOs are in the process of strengthening the network with NUOs and other urban observatories.

RECOMMENDATIONS Conditions for creating a sustainable urban observatory: 1.Proper Institutional Framework and appropriate skills 2.Sense of ownership at decision making level 3. Systematic updating and monitoring of data and indicators 4.Strengthening the network between National and Local Urban Observatories

URBAN OBSERVATORY IN ARAB REGION: FUTURE STEPS - Review the list of indicators for each Urban Observatory and their monitoring system. - Create a common platform, a network between Urban Observatories in Arab Region. - Create Regional Urban Observatory to be connected to the Global Urban Observatory - Monitoring Urban Trends in Arab Region - Develop the State of Arab Cities Report.

… THANK YOU