Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director of Earthna, and Ms. Rania Hedeya, Regional Director for Arab States at UN Habitat.
Image Credit – Earthna
Strategic Collaboration for Arid Cities Sustainability Partnership
Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future and the UN-Habitat have formalized an arid cities sustainability partnership to address long-term environmental and socio-economic challenges facing urban regions exposed to extreme heat and aridity. The collaboration was established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed during the Sixth Arab Ministerial Forum for Housing and Urban Development, held in Doha from 14 to 16 December 2025.
The agreement defines a structured cooperation framework focused on environmental resilience, food security, expanded access to urban green spaces, and the integration of traditional knowledge into modern sustainability practices. Within the arid cities sustainability partnership, cooperation will be advanced through shared research initiatives, coordinated knowledge exchange mechanisms, and jointly developed strategic events supporting urban sustainability outcomes at regional and international levels.
Knowledge Platforms and Ecosystem Restoration Under Arid Cities Sustainability Partnership
As an initial deliverable, the arid cities sustainability partnership will prioritize the development of a mangrove restoration best-practice guide. The initiative is intended to support coastal rehabilitation efforts by providing technical guidance for restoring ecosystems that play a critical role in climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and coastal resilience.
Further collaboration under the partnership is expected to extend into the establishment of thematic knowledge hubs and additional best-practice guidance addressing regenerative urban green spaces, air-quality adaptation in extreme climates, traditional knowledge systems, and urban food security. The agreement also enables UN-Habitat’s participation in the Arid Cities Network, a global platform focused on addressing the sustainability and resilience needs of cities in hot and dry environments.
The partnership was formalized during the Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development, a biannual regional forum aimed at aligning policies on sustainable urbanization, resilient city planning, and progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
