The 16th General Conference of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) 15.05.2013

UCLG-MEWA participated at the 16th General Conference of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) which was held in Doha from May 14 to 16 2013 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al THANI, the Amir of Qatar. It was originally intended to hold the meeting in Aleppo, Syria, but the deteriorating political situation there has scuppered this plan.

It was attended by Director of Doha Municipality Mohamed Ahmed Al SAYID, Director of Public Relations and Communications at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning Omar Al YAFEI, Director of ATO Award Yacob Yusouf Al MASS, ATO Technical Office Director Abdul Rahman Al DUAIJ, and ATO Director of Financial Affairs Khaled Al BADAWI. With the following subject: “Cities and the Challenges of Sustainable Development”. The Conference received many local and national elected officials from Arab countries, as well as representatives from civil society and international agencies working in the region such as AFD, UN Habitat, FMDV and UNESCO.

This meeting was the occasion for the different urban development actors to exchange experiences and increase their network. Green economy, urban poverty and digital cities were the main topics discussed during the workshops.

Both UCLG and UCLG-MEWA attended this meeting, represented by Josep ROIG Secretary General of UCLG and Mehmet DUMAN the Secretary General of UCLG-MEWA. During the opening ceremony Mr. ROIG said “The Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, Habitat III in 2016 can and should be a decisive milestone where the maturity of our movement should be fully recognized”.

Regarding the new urban agenda, the Mayor of Rabat, Fatallah Oualalou, insisted on the impact of the economic crisis and its negative impact on urban development strategies. Amongst the challenges facing cities, Oualalou recalled those related to development, jobs and youth, decentralization and local democracy and climate change. The World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders and 4^th UCLG Congress to be held in Rabat next 1-4 October will be the next stop in discussions on these issues.

During the Conference, Mr. DUMAN presented UCLG-MEWA shields to H.E. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa AL THANI, Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning in Qatar, and Mr. Abdul Aziz Yousuf AL-ADSANI, Secretary-General of Arab Towns Organization (ATO). Moreover, H.E. AL THANI presented a gift to Mr. DUMAN for taking part in this Conference.