Arab Mayors Academy Training Concludes With Focus on Strategic Urban Resilience

To support more sustainable and resilient cities, Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Public Policy (CPP) staged the Arab Mayors Academy 2025: Final Training focused on strategic planning, results-based management (RBM), and partnerships for long-term impact. 

Hosted in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), the event reaffirmed a shared commitment to building resilient and inclusive cities across the Arab world. Experts and officials emphasized the importance of translating the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and RBM into city planning, particularly in climate-stressed cities. 

Opening reflections from Rania Hedeya, Regional Office for Arab States at UN-Habitat ROAS, Sukaina Al-Nasrawi, Lead of the Sustainable Urban Development Portfolio, UNESCWA, and Dr. Evren Tok, Associate Dean for Community Engagement, CPP, framed discussions around accountability, collaboration, and real-world urban challenges. This set the stage for talks on how aligned strategies, inclusive governance, and cross-sector partnerships can strengthen implementation, improve decision-making, and deliver lasting, scalable urban impact.

“This gathering presented a great opportunity to consolidate our commitment to work with cities, connect global ambitions with local realities, and highlight the added value of inclusive collaboration,” Dr. Tok commented. “Partnering with UN agencies underlines HBKU’s resolve to engage with diverse stakeholders to strengthen cities now and for future generations.”

Leveraging Doha’s rapid urban development and planning experience, the event underscores HBKU’s role as a knowledge hub and broader contribution as a convener of expertise, building regional capacity to address shared challenges.