Amman: A session discussing the inaugural draft of foundations for building future cities, launched by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Wednesday, concluded with several recommendations aimed at advancing urban planning practices in Jordan.
Participants, comprising experts, university professors, and urban planning practitioners, proposed the establishment of a task force comprising multidisciplinary experts in collaboration with HUDC’s business incubator. This group would conduct a comprehensive study on the concept of future cities, aligning it with international best practices while accounting for Jordan’s unique context, thus determining the most suitable model for the country.
They emphasized the need to define a baseline for future cities in Jordan, using development indicators to assess neighborhood well-being across cities of varying sizes. Targeted neighborhoods would receive resources for improvement based o
n agreed criteria.
The session advocated for a thorough review of existing planning and urban design laws and regulations in Jordan, in coordination with urban planning experts, strategic partners, and policymakers. The goal is to update legislation prioritizing sustainable and smart planning practices.
Participants stressed the importance of aligning initiatives with the outcomes of the national urban policy and fostering collaboration among governmental, private, academic, and community stakeholders to promote future-oriented city management, implementation, and monitoring.
Additionally, they recommended the development of supportive policies and legislation to incentivize sustainability and innovation in future city construction, as well as the utilization of technology and smart solutions. They called for the preparation of a study outlining the implementation of future city policies and initiatives, complete with a timetable and performance indicators aligned with global benchmarks in the field.
The
session proposed designing a financing program to identify required resources, prioritizing access to future cities.
Jumana Atiyat, Director-General of the HUDC, outlined the corporation’s priorities, including establishing standards for future cities, developing low-cost housing models, and drafting legislation regulating the housing and real estate development sector.
Rana Saleh, Deputy Coordinator at the UNDP, underscored the imperative of addressing Jordan’s energy challenges and promoting environmentally sustainable economic development, highlighting the opportunity for transformative change and the importance of collaborative efforts with academia and youth to achieve practical outcomes aligned with Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: Jordan News Agency