Mayors and officials from across the Arab region can co-operate to build the cities of tomorrow, the governor of Aswan in Egypt said on Tuesday.
Ismail Kamal said each area is unique but the region is united by a shared language and culture.
Speaking at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum in Dubai, Mr Kamal said much could be accomplished on issues such as sustainability and infrastructure because of those enduring connections.
“I believe it is very important [to co-operate],” Mr Kamal told The National. “We share the same language and the same culture. We can co-operate to transfer experiences from one city to another.”
Mr Kamal was speaking days after a meeting between mayors and leaders from more than 30 cities in the Arab world to discuss a shared vision for a sustainable and prosperous urban future.
The gathering, which was not open to the media, took place on Sunday on the eve of the conference opening. Leaders discussed addressing regional challenges such as water shortages, population growth and jobs for the region's young people.
According to UN Habitat, the United Nations' human settlements programme, the proportion of people in the Arab region living in cities is 60 per cent and this is expected to reach 70 per cent by 2050. The region is also home to major urban developments such as the New Administrative Capital being built east of Cairo and futuristic urban developments planned by Saudi Arabia such as The Line.
Meanwhile, water scarcity is a major issue in 19 of the 22 Arab countries, while desertification and land degradation affect 17 countries.
Mr Kamal said he was in the UAE for the summit because he wanted to “learn from the experience of Dubai” and how it became one of the “most important cities in the world”.
While acknowledging the unique characteristics of each Arab region, Mr Kamal said there was still much to learn.
Egyptian model
“I just attended a session [about] … how government and the private sector co-operates, and how to keep Dubai green and sustainable. That is very important,” he said. “I'm here learning and trying to apply what we have learnt back in Aswan.”
Aswan governate is in southern Egypt. Its capital, Aswan, sits on the Nile and the region is famous for its archaeological sites. The area is also home to the Aswan Dam.
“Aswan is an old and historic city,” Mr Kamal said. “The Nile passes through Aswan. It's important to keep [the city] clean and reduce the pollution and its carbon footprint.
“So it is very important for us to learn from all these experiences, especially Dubai, and trying to apply it in Aswan,” he said.
“Of course it's very difficult to photocopy the experience,” he said. “We have to do some modifications to be more appropriate for our system back in Egypt.”
Major challenges in Aswan, which has many villages, are infrastructure and utility supply, as well as water security, he said.
The Nile supplies more than 90 per cent of the country’s freshwater and most of its fertile soil. But it is threatened by climate change, pollution and dam construction.
“Of course it's very important,” he said, referring to the river. “We have to keep it clean. And this is a challenge because Aswan is a tourist place and we have cruises all over the Nile.”
Mr Kamal, who has a PhD in civil engineering, said an important takeaway from the summit was the importance of using the right materials in construction to keep the carbon footprint low, “for example, composite materials [and] stone and metal that have a low carbon footprint”.
Other mayors from the Arab region also spoke about why co-operation was crucial.
Uniting knowledge
Ayman El Shehaby, governor of Damietta in Egypt, said its participation showcased “leadership in sustainable coastal development and its unique heritage industries such as furniture making and fishing boat building and confectionery”.
“We look forward to connecting with cities that share similar strengths, exchanging knowledge and building partnerships that promote inclusive and resilient urban growth,” he said in remarks supplied by the event's organisers.
Ammar Khadim, mayor of Baghdad, said participating in the summit was important in helping the Iraqi capital to become more organised and prosperous.
“We also work to complete the rehabilitation of the city's historic centre, establish distinctive tourist and entertainment sites, implement new modern residential cities and increase green cover through extensive afforestation campaigns,” he said.
Organisers expect about 300 mayors and city officials to have attended the conference at Expo City Dubai by the time it closes on Wednesday.
Talks on Tuesday included how cities can unlock data that is gathered but often underused, how sport can boost sustainable urban development, and designing healthier and greener cities.
