The first virtual webinar of Cities in Action has launched

The Arab Urban Development Institute organized its first monthly virtual webinar titled “Cities in Action” on the evening of Tuesday, April 30, 2024. The webinar was attended by experts and stakeholders in urban development from various Arab countries. The moderator, Dr. Abdullah Dhifallah, opened the session with an introductory overview of the “Cities in Action” webinar series, highlighting its significance in enriching discussions among experts in urban development across the Arab region. Dr. Dhifallah emphasized that the purpose of this webinar is to identify pioneering urban development projects and share ideas on approaches and best practices.

The series commenced with a presentation on the Structure Plan for Greater Muscat within Oman Vision 2040, delivered by the project’s technical director, Engineer Nasser Al-Sayegh. He emphasized the importance of integrating structure plans with other spatial strategies to achieve urban sustainability and the crucial role of involving implementing agencies in the execution process.

Engineer Al-Sayegh elaborated on the concept of the city’s structure plan, aiming for a qualitative leap in the quality of life in Greater Muscat through comprehensive urban planning that considers infrastructure, environment, and other aspects essential for adequate city planning. He discussed the primary objectives of Muscat’s strategic and structure plan, aiming for Muscat to become a green capital with high urban resilience, stimulating productivity, livability, and a connected community.

Furthermore, Engineer Al-Sayegh addressed eight key challenges facing Greater Muscat, including population density, commuting distances to workplaces, traffic congestion, underutilization of public beaches, linear economy, unequal service provisions, inadequate infrastructure readiness for climate change disruptions such as hurricanes or flash floods, and inactive public spaces. He explained how the structure plan tackles these challenges.

In conclusion, the moderator expressed gratitude to AUDI for providing a platform for sharing Arab urban projects and ideas through the “Cities in Action” initiative. He praised the remarkable experience of Muscat city presented by Engineer Nasser Al-Sayegh and highlighted the engaging interaction of attendees through questions.