Syria’s Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdurazaq, met with Hiroshi Takabayashi, head of the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) in Syria, to discuss expanding cooperation in housing and reconstruction.
The talks focused on supporting reconstruction efforts, including restoring damaged homes, rehabilitating infrastructure and establishing a “unified window” to govern rehabilitation work. The proposed mechanism aims to organize the activities of individuals, organizations and government institutions involved in restoration and rebuilding.
Strategic Planning for the Housing Sector
The two sides also discussed preparations for a National Housing Strategy. Plans include training staff from the Engineering Studies Company on methods for assessing structural damage to buildings and establishing a National Housing Observatory (NHO) in the coming period.
Officials agreed on the need to involve international experts to support the development of the strategy. Abdurazaq and Takabayashi emphasized the importance of continued coordination and joint cooperation to support Syria’s recovery and reconstruction efforts in the next phase.
Progress on Key Initiatives
Abdurazaq highlighted progress in preparing the “State of Housing in Syria” report, which is awaiting final approval. He added that preparations are underway to launch the National Housing Observatory with support from international expertise.
The minister also stressed the importance of including ministry representatives in damage-assessment workshops to ensure unified efforts and stronger coordination among relevant institutions. Takabayashi, for his part, affirmed the program’s readiness to begin implementing these initiatives and reiterated UN-Habitat’s commitment to strengthening technical and institutional cooperation to support Syria’s recovery.
UN-Habitat is the UN agency responsible for promoting sustainable urban development and ensuring adequate housing worldwide. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the organization addresses issues related to rapid urbanization, poverty, informal settlements and climate challenges in cities.
