New York, May 13 (SANA) Japan is contributing USD 806,666 to support a 12-month United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) project titled “Strengthening Municipal Operational Readiness for Urban Recovery in Syria,” according to a recent press release by the agency.
The project aims to improve municipal services and support recovery efforts for an estimated 870,000 people in crisis-affected areas.
It will cover approximately 20 municipal administrative units across seven governorates: Aleppo, Damascus countryside, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Idleb and Daraa, focusing on strengthening institutional, technical and operational capacities for recovery planning and service delivery.
According to UN-Habitat, the initiative includes targeted capacity-building programmes and provision of essential tools and equipment to enhance municipalities’ ability to respond to community needs in areas affected by crisis and displacement.
Between 120 and 180 municipal staff will be trained in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), urban data management, recovery planning, and Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights.
The project also includes light rehabilitation works to restore basic municipal functions, with the aim of improving local governance and service delivery for residents, including returnees.
UN-Habitat said the initiative is expected to strengthen recovery-oriented urban governance and benefit hundreds of thousands of people across participating municipalities.
Japan has been a longstanding partner of UN-Habitat and a major donor to humanitarian and recovery programmes in Syria. Since 2022, Japan has contributed more than USD 21 million to support UN-Habitat projects in the country.
UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency for sustainable urbanization, operates in more than 90 countries supporting sustainable cities through policy advice, technical assistance and capacity building.
M.F / ABD
