Humanity is in 21^st century facing unprecedented challenges which include population growth towards 10 billion people, lack of food and energy, diseases, migration to cities and on top of it climate changes which consequences are, beside change of climate conditions, global heating, sea-level rising, desertification, change of vegetation and rise of CO2 footprint. Whole world in affected by those changes The Global Climate 2011-2020 (wmo.int),   Provisional State of the Global Climate 2023 (wmo.int).

All mentioned challenges are affecting, not in identical way SM partner countries in MLUMSE project, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco. Egypt is facing fast population growth (+42% till Y2050), lack of arable land, migration, congestion and chaotic development of existing cities, desertification, lack of food and sea-level rising, all jeopardizing prosperity and security of the nation. Jordan population is also growing fast (+32 till Y2050), facing lack of arable land and food, desertification, migration to existing cities and uncontrolled development while Morocco’s population growth is not so high (+19% till Y2050), but the change of climate is threatening whole country causing drought which is jeopardizing agriculture (being important economical and social factor) and creating additional pressure on migration towards cities. https://www.iemed.org/publication/the-economic-impacts-of-climate-change-in-the-mediterranean/

Urbanization is global trend and beside 1,3 billion people which will migrate to cities until 2100, it is forecasted that additional 1 billion people will migrate to cities due to climate change. This creates tremendous pressure on cities and their development, what also implies tremendous pressure on better and efficient urban planning.     

Already in 2008 WB study stated Egypt is facing a daunting urban challenge  Egypt – Urban sector update : Urban sector update (worldbank.org) and recognizing tremendous effort made by the Government of Egypt the challenge is further immense. Therefore guiding strategy has been developed to change situation and develop sustainable and climate change resilient Egypt (Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030, https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/egy216331E.pdf) which is followed with set of operational strategies. In case of land and urban planning and management they are  Strategic National Plan for Urban Development in Egypt (2052) https://andp.unescwa.org/plans/1307 and Egypt Land Management Strategy. In line with Egypt vision 2052 major projects of constructing Smart cities in Egypt are ongoing. 24 cities are already under construction or finished while further 37 are planned. This should change picture of Egypt, protect arable land and create new sustainable and smart urban environment for Egypt’s citizens. But, due to the population growth problems in existing cities, especially Cairo and Alexandria, remain present. https://arabdevelopmentportal.com/sites/default/files/publication/sds_egypt_vision_2030.pdf

Jordan is over-urbanized country in which 93% of population is living in cities (on only 3,8% of territory) in which 20% are living in slum areas and which are lacking good planning of urbanization (UN-Habitat, 2012) Jordan – Urban issues | UN-Habitat (unhabitat.org). This is reducing quality of life and crates also other problems in countries functioning. Therefore, mayor efforts are undertaken to ensure growth and improvement of urban areas through countries strategic documents, like Jordan Country Strategy 2020-2025   https://andp.unescwa.org/plans/1156 which priority is also development of sustainable municipal infrastructure. At the end d 2023 Jordan has adopted National Urban Policy as a key document for strengthening urban planning and management, development of new smart cities and improvement of infrastructure conditions in existing cities. In parallel Jordan makes effort to develop remote areas of the country like Aqaba Special Economic Zone implementing financial, economic, infrastructural and other measures which should create environment for creation of new economic centre of Jordan and Aqaba  portal.jordan.gov.jo/wps/wcm/connect/gov/eGov/Home+Business/Special+Economic+Zones/Aqaba+Special+Economic+Zone+%28ASEZ%29/. Morocco is one of the countries most exposed to geological and climate-related hazards in the Middle East and North Africa region. Because of its geographic position, high rainfall variability, and topography, Morocco is regularly prone to flooding, which is by far the costliest of all hazards in the country. 63% of Moroccans live in cities and number of projects are ongoing developing new Smart cities or solving the issue of slums in existing cities. However, migration toward cities is intensive and the Government of Morocco is making great efforts to leverage urbanization promoting a new growth model with intention to  reduce territorial disparities in Morocco urban and regional development (WB, 2019) https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/743061560524115336/pdf/Leveraging-Urbanization-to-Promote-a-New-Growth-Model-While-Reducing-Territorial-Disparities-in-Morocco-Urban-and-Regional-Development-Policy-Note.pdf. Morocco is one of the most active countries in the world in building new cities from scratch. Nineteen new cities are presently underway across the kingdom as part of a national city-building strategy.