On the second to last day of the twelfth biennial session of WUF12, the focus was on the situation in the Gaza Strip where the urban fabric and life have been destroyed by intense bombardment. The discussion also touched on the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria, where the effects of war are being felt.
The participants grappled with the challenges of rebuilding, specifically the need for local-level action. They emphasized the importance of looking beyond physical damage and addressing the loss of homes and community connections.
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, stressed the need for social support and working with communities to envision a better future when talking about rebuilding efforts.
The importance of joint efforts and organized reconstruction was highlighted by Sami Hijjawi, Minister of Local Government, State of Palestine. He also emphasized the need for displaced individuals to be housed as close to their hometowns as possible.
Despite the difficult circumstances in Gaza, development and urbanization efforts are still ongoing. Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director of Poverty Reduction and Durable Solutions at Somalia’s Ministry of Planning, shared an example of an integrated approach to addressing housing, land, and property issues for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia.
Ms. Mohamed stressed the need to move from a purely humanitarian approach to a development approach and to focus on the development of rural regions in order to encourage people to return to their homes.
Jenia Gubkina, a Ukrainian architect, spoke about the need to prevent the destruction of homes and the importance of considering the needs of displaced populations in urban crisis response.
Sameh Wahba, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development, Europe and Central Asia, highlighted the need for integrated solutions for refugees, IDPs, and their host communities.
The Forum, which has been taking place in Cairo since November 8th, will conclude tomorrow with the launch of the Cairo Call to Action and the official handover to Baku, Azerbaijan, the hosts of WUF13. The Closing Ceremony will also feature remarks from high-level officials and creative performances.