Republic of Yemen NATIONAL REPORT
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Republic of Yemen Republic of Yemen NATIONAL REPORT Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development - HABITAT III - 2016, Quito/ Ecuador Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... 4 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 5 I. Urban Demographic Issues and Challenges ......................................................................................... 7 1. Managing rapid urbanization .......................................................................................................... 7 2. Managing rural‐urban linkages ....................................................................................................... 8 3. Addressing urban youth needs ....................................................................................................... 9 4. Responding to the needs of the aged ........................................................................................... 11 5. Integrating gender in urban development .................................................................................... 11 6. Challenges experienced and lessons learnt .................................................................................. 13 7. Future challenges and issues to be addressed by a New Urban Agenda ..................................... 14 II. Land and Urban Planning .................................................................................................................. 15 1. Ensuring Sustainable Urban Planning and Design ........................................................................ 15 2. Improving urban land management, including addressing urban sprawl .................................... 16 3. Enhancing urban and peri‐urban food production ....................................................................... 17 4. Addressing urban mobility challenges .......................................................................................... 19 5. Challenges experienced and lessons learnt .................................................................................. 20 6. Future challenges and issues to be addressed by a New Urban Agenda ..................................... 21 III. Environment and Urbanization ........................................................................................................ 21 1. Addressing climate change ........................................................................................................... 21 2. Disaster risk reduction .................................................................................................................. 23 3. Reducing traffic congestion .......................................................................................................... 24 4. Air Pollution .................................................................................................................................. 25 5. Challenges experienced and lessons learnt .................................................................................. 26 6. Future challenges and issues to be addressed by a New Urban Agenda ..................................... 26 IV. Urban Governance and Legislation .................................................................................................. 27 1. Improving urban legislation .......................................................................................................... 27 2. Decentralization and strengthening of local authorities .............................................................. 28 3. Improving participation and human rights in urban development .............................................. 29 4. Enhancing urban safety and security ............................................................................................ 30 5. Improving social inclusion and equity ........................................................................................... 31 6. Challenges experienced and lessons learnt .................................................................................. 33 7. Future challenges and issues to be addressed by a New Urban Agenda ..................................... 33 V. Urban Economy ................................................................................................................................ 34 1 1. Improving municipal/ local finance ............................................................................................... 34 2. Strengthening and improving access to housing finance ............................................................. 35 3. Supporting local economic development ..................................................................................... 3 7 VI. Housing and Basic Services .............................................................................................................. 44 1. Slum upgrading and prevention .................................................................................................... 44 2. Improving access to adequate housing......................................................................................... 46 3. Ensuring sustainable access to safe drinking water ...................................................................... 47 4. Ensuring sustainable access to basic sanitation and drainage ..................................................... 49 5. Improving access to clean domestic energy ................................................................................. 5 0 6. Improving access to sustainable means of transport ................................................................... 52 7. Challenges experienced and lessons learnt .................................................................................. 53 ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................................... 55 ANNEX1: Case Study of Taiz Municipal Development and Flood Protection Project (TMDFPP) .......... 56 2 Introduction On behalf of the Government of Yemen, we are pleased to share with our readers the Yemen National Report submitted to Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III). Yemen’s participation in this global conference comes at a time where the country is going through fierce conflicts that have caused until today massive human and physical losses. The situation has been aggravated with the escalation of political crisis and military turbulence experienced by Yemen. The 2016 Humanitarian Needs Overview published by UNOCHA estimates that a total of 19.3 million people in Yemen now require humanitarian assistance to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation, of whom 9.8 million are in need as a direct result of the conflict. In urban areas, more than 6 million people have seen their water supply disrupted or cut due to conflict, and rural water supply schemes have stopped serving 2 million people The conflicts in Yemen are adding more strain on the country’s overall poor performance, including the fragile state, weak governance, deteriorated socio-economic situation, increased pollution and depleted services and infrastructure. It is worth mentioning that during the past two decades, before political unrest and turmoil's the country has accomplished significant progress in various sectors, mainly: infrastructure development, urban planning reforms, decentralization, slum upgrading and housing provision. The armed conflicts came to put halt to all this progress and driving the country backward with the massive losses inflicted on the lives and livelihoods on already impoverished people. In this context, the key future challenges that should be addressed relate to peace and stability. Once the conflict is terminated, the country should be going through a nationwide reconstruction operation, which should take into consideration avoiding past mistakes and building cities and towns that are safer, more inclusive, resilient and sustainable. 3 Acknowledgments The report was prepared under very difficult circumstances of political and military turbulence experienced by Yemen since more than one year. Having committed to taking part in Habitat III activities, a team of national experts have dedicated their time and resources to support in the elaboration process of the report. The Habitat III Secretariat was thankful to commission a consultant who was able to develop the content of the report remotely. Thanks are also due to all those people who helped making this hard assignment a reality. In particular, we would like to extend our thanks to Yasmeen Mohammed Ahmed Al Awadhi who coordinated the preparation of the report in addition to the key experts from the Ministry of Public Works and Highways and other relevant institutions who contributed to the content of the report. Thanks are also extended to the UN-Habitat Regional Office for the Arab States for supporting the entire elaboration process, including the revision