State of Arab Cities Report 2025- Housing, Land and Basic Services as Foundations for Resilient Urbanization

This Urban Library session will launch the “State of Arab Cities Report (SACR) 2025 - Housing, Land and Basic Services: Foundations for Resilient and Sustainable Urbanization in Arab Cities” and convene a focused, solution-oriented discussion on how Arab cities can strengthen resilience and “build back better and greener” while maintaining, retrofitting and rehabilitating housing, land governance and basic services in the face of conflict, climate change and systemic risks. The report treats access to adequate housing, land and basic services as core enablers of sustainable urbanization and, in turn, as key accelerators of the SDGs, directly aligning with the WUF theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.” SACR 2025 provides an integrated regional analysis of how shocks and stresses cascade across urban systems, and how weaknesses in housing, land and service provision can deepen vulnerability, while also identifying opportunities for reform, investment and partnership. The report showcases city case studies across the region, highlighting practical tools and best practices - from governance and financing approaches to service continuity, rehabilitation, upgrading and inclusive solutions that reflect human rights, resilience and sustainability considerations. Recommendations are designed for multiple stakeholders including governments, local authorities, the private sector, communities and NGOs. The launch will combine a concise presentation of headline findings with a facilitated discussion that brings together city and national representatives, practitioners and partners to debate priorities, policy choices and trade-offs, and to identify concrete entry points for implementation and collaboration. Objectives: - Launch SACR 2025 and present key findings on the state of housing, land and basic services and their links to systemic risks and urban resilience. - Showcase Arab city case studies and practical tools that can be replicated or scaled (governance, financing, and delivery approaches). - Discuss policy and investment pathways that strengthen adequacy, inclusion and resilience—grounded in human rights and “leaving no one behind.” - Identify implementable regional and city-level recommendations and partnership opportunities to support follow-up action.