Locally adaptable technologies for refugee/idp settlements Insights from private sector partnerships in Egypt, Kenya, Jordan

Migration has been touted by the UNDP as a key factor influencing the global development landscape in 2024. Communities move to cities and settlements, slowly transitioning the new settlements to become epicentres of vulnerability.Refugee and IDP hosting settlements are dynamic and evolving urban centres born out of necessity in response to conflicts, natural disasters. These settlements are characterised by rapid urbanisation, dense populations, diverse social networks, and makeshift infrastructure that often result in overcrowding and competition for basic services. Refugee and IDP hosting settlements present challenges that demand innovative solutions for planning and implementation of shelter, energy, water, sanitation, waste management, health, and infrastructural services. While humanitarian players have traditionally offered emergency response to challenges, recent global increase in isplacement, the protracted nature of these crises and the impacts of climate change have diminished the effects of such responses. Moreover, humanitarian-development agencies often lack the specialised skills and technologies required for efficient and sustainable solutions.Private sector players possess the expertise and resources needed to provide novel technologies and solutions, making collaboration between humanitarian-development agencies and private sector indispensable for sustainably addressing planning and infrastructural development needs of displaced populations. This collaboration is hindered by differing priorities between profit-driven private sector and participation focused humanitarian agencies, which makes coordination and implementation efforts difficult. Additional challenges of private sector solutions include inadequate local adaptability of technologies, high costs associated with global supply chains, regulatory barriers to entry and operational unsustainability due to inadequate local skills for operation and maintenance.The networking event will focus on identifying solutions to the challenges associated with private sector involvement in addressing the needs of displaced populations. Through expert-led panel discussions, participants will explore various topics including innovative technologies, green approaches, indigenous solutions, coordination mechanisms. Local governments will contribute by bringing insights into regulatory environments, while exploring opportunities to align polices with the urgent needs of displaced populations and capabilities of private sectors. The event will showcase successful collaborations in Egypt, Jordan and Kenya,drawing lessons that can lead to future collaborations in similar contexts and foster understanding of each other's perspectives, needs, and constraints to unlock the innovative potential of private sector's solutions, provide avenues for localisation and local daptation of these solutions while addressing regulatory challenges to enhance long term benefits for displaced populations.