Future Saudi Cities program: a comprehensive approach towards the New Urban Agenda

MOMRA aims to showcase the initiatives and achievements in advancing and supporting the realization of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These initiatives are also part of the fulfillment of Vision 2030 for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Future Saudi Cities Programme (FSCP) plays an important and central role in realizing the SDGs and NUA.

This event aims to provide examples from FSCP's 17 cities to showcase the integration of the FSCP with the New Urban Agenda through the implementation of its five drivers of change:

Developing and Implementing Urban Policies: Progress and lessons learned in MOMRA's National Spatial Strategy (NSS) will be presented. This strategy focuses on the integration of inputs from key national and regional stakeholders, and discusses how this process addresses different thematic areas spatially considering the NUA approach.

Strengthening Urban Governance: Some of the progress of the urban planning reforms, including the Planning Act, under preparation and inclusive urban planning efforts focused on the involvement of women and youth will be discussed.

Integrated Territorial Planning and Design: Outputs of the Rapid Planning Studio Methodology (a tool designed to give more considerations to design of streets and public spaces at the local level, utilize mixed use, address densification, and enhance connectivity in the Saudi Cities), and its integration with City Prosperity Indicators (CPI) outcomes, will be presented.

Local Economy and Municipal Finance: Examples of municipal finance challenges will be shared, along with a discussing of cases from large and small cities to overcome these challenges.

Enhancing Means of Implementation: The Capacity Building is an important element of the FSCP. Experiences of capacity building efforts undertaken to enhance achievement of the NUA and the National Municipal Transformative Strategy of MOMRA will be presented.