Tomorrow’s Habitat, for a better urban future

Today 55% of the population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to rise to 70% by 2050, the propensity for urbanization is considerable and cities and towns are expected to be home to an additional 2.5 billion people over the next 30 years. In constant development, the Moroccan territory is also in a trend of increased urbanization. Indeed, the urbanization rate has increased from 29.2% in 1960 to 63.9% in 2021. It is expected to reach 67.8% by 2030 and 73.6% by 2050. This trend exposes the territories and their populations to situation of vulnerability: spatial, socio-economic and environmental and generates a high demand for housing, equipment and services. In that sense, the issue of housing in Morocco has been a constant concern, as evidenced by the interest that the public authorities have taken in it, through the strategies they have adopted, the programs they have initiated as well as the mobilization of all actors and partners. Thus, commendable efforts have been made by the Ministry of National Territory Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy to curb the problems related to housing, financially, legally, institutionally and technically. In this respect, several programs with a social vocation have been undertaken in order to guarantee decent and affordable housing that matches the demand of different social categories, and to preserve the traditional habitat and the national architectural heritage as well as to tackle all forms of social and spatial exclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts have shown the existence of several fragilities and limitations in the functioning of all urban systems, particularly in terms of Habitat. It has reminded us of the importance of decent housing and the living environment for the well-being of citizens and has highlighted several challenges and vulnerabilities, including, Housing affordability, vulnerability of the residential fabric in densely populated cities and also the substandard housing to the spread of the virus, Territorial inequalities in terms of living conditions and access to basic public services and new requirements in terms of organization of the living space, comfort of the occupants and adaptation to new uses of housing. This health crisis is considered today as an opportunity to see what lessons can be learned to strengthen our resilience, to adapt and especially to innovate in order to rethink the habitat of tomorrow in order to better build a more sustainable living environment and resilient to future crises. Within the framework of the implementation of the SDGs, the New Urban Agenda, and the orientations of the New Development Model of Morocco, this event will present the Moroccan experience feedback in terms of Habitat and improvement of the living conditions of the citizens as well as enriching the reflection on the pathways and reforms necessary to guarantee a sustainable and resilient habitat.