Regional Workshop on Urban economic recovery and resilience building in the time of COVID-19
Participants (M/F) : 26 (15/11)
Main Objectives : • To collect and discuss data and information based on questionnaires submitted by pilot cities; • Understand and identify the needs and priorities of pilot cities in recovery phases; • Introduce the framework of policy pathways from The Future of Asian and Pacific Cities, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other ESCAP analysis as the basis for the project approaches; • Establish network among pilot cities for effective implementation in later phases and for future city-to-city exchange and cooperation.
Description : COVID-19 has had significant impacts on cities across the globe. The pandemic has forced countries to implement various movement control measures and closure of businesses that have resulted in shrinking economic activities in cities and massive revenue loss of local governments. While the effects of COVID-19 provided some positive environmental outcomes, such as temporary reductions in emissions and improved urban air quality, the opportunity to have a sustainable and green urban recovery is still to be realised. The UN system is committed to assist cities and countries to “build back better” with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a framework for COVID-19 recovery planning. Against this background, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is supporting a global project to assist local governments to recover from the COVID-19 impacts. Through three phases, this project aims to: 1) collect and analyse data and information; 2) develop support activities to share best practices and inform recovery plans; 3) assist cities to develop implementation plans. The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) is the implementing partner for the Asia-Pacific region, whose approaches would be built on Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19: ESCAP Framework which articulates experience and expertise supporting Member States in recovery planning and The Future of Asian and Pacific Cities 2019 report, which laid out policy pathways across four thematic pillars: Urban and Territorial Planning; Urban Resilience; Data and Technologies for Smart Cities; and Urban Finance). These policy pathways provide guidance for cities to build back better and accelerate the progress on the SDGs.
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