The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. The current policy and development practices in Egypt are facing numerous challenges to enable the implementation of sustainable and efficient urban development. Centralization, weak coordination between development sectors, and poor participation of local communities are among various difficulties hindering the achievement of enhanced national development through urbanization.
Urbanization is a key driver of development. Hence, sustainable planning and governance of urbanization is crucial to accommodate the rapid population growth, empower cities to optimise the value of urbanization and ensure even development, inclusion and equality. Rapid urbanization presents a unique opportunity to lift millions out of poverty when managed sustainably. However, inadequate urbanization management, doubled with rapid population growth has adversely affected quality of life leading to lack of adequate housing, and increasing inequality. These conditions contribute to diseconomies (e.g. congestion, pollution, displacement) that overtime negatively affects the overall city prosperity, efficiency, productivity and competitiveness.
The Urban Governance, Policies and Legislation Program in Egypt works towards tackling the multi-dimensional urbanization context with a special attention to urban management, urban planning, urban economy where all stakeholders are empowered and enabled to engage and play their expected role(s).The program engages with all stakeholders and on different levels to find new appropriate, realistic and context driven approaches to urbanization processes that ensure the provision of acceptable spatial standards and services. The program provides governance legislative and policy recommendations to consolidate, ensure the replicability and scale up all its successful interventions.