Cities of Refuge in the Middle East: Bringing an Urban Lens to the Forced Displacement Challenge
Side eventsRoom 408
- Tufts University Feinstein International Center and World Bank Group
By end 2016, there were an estimated 65.6 million people forcibly displaced around the world, of which about one quarter were living in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The forced displacement crisis in the Middle East is above all an urban crisis, with an estimated 80-90% of those displaced in the region residing in towns and cities. This shift from camps to cities has critical implications for how to deal with the forced displacement challenge—and it is a reality across many countries affected by conflict, in the Middle East and beyond.
This round table discussion seeks to zero in on practical solutions to the challenges posed by urban forced displacement. Mayors from severely affected cities in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia will share experiences on responding to large inflows of forcibly displaced people. A particular focus of the session will be placed on how the humanitarian and development communities can work better together with local authorities, to meet the needs of the displaced and host populations alike. This blended humanitarian/development approach is critical for maintaining or further building a city’s social cohesion. The session builds on insights from the World Bank report, ‘Cities of Refuge: Bringing an Urban Lens to the Forced Displacement Challenge’, which is being launched on February 10 at the World Urban Forum.
This session will consist of a roundtable discussion between mayors of cities affected by forced displacement, bringing together insights from various regions. The discussion will be structured around questions posed by a moderator, and followed by reflections from representatives of the development and humanitarian communities.
Moderator:
•Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez/ Sameh Wahba Tadros (Senior Director/Director, World Bank Group Social, Urban Rural and Resilience Global Practice)
Round table:
•Hussein Abu Shieh, Mayor of Ramtha, Jordan
•Ahmad Kamareddine, Mayor of Tripoli Municipality and President of Al Fayhaa Union of Municipalities, Lebanon
•Erias Lukwago, Lord Mayor of Kampala, Uganda
•Roshaan Wolusmal, Mayor of Kandahar, Afghanistan
Discussants:
•Axel Baeumler, Senior Infrastructure Economist at the World Bank Group
•Xavier Castellanos, Regional Director of Asia Pacific for the IFRC
