ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2022/TP.18
Country: Arab Republic of Egypt
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development
Focus Area: Inclusive development
Initiatives: Sustainable urban development, COVID-19 Stimulus Tracker
SDGs: Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Keywords: Urban development, Urban economics, Covid-19, Local government, Cities, Reconstruction, Programme planning, Technical cooperation, Labour market, Sustainable development, Finance, Working conditions
Building urban economic resilience plan for the city of Alexandria
January 2023
The report reviews the plan to build urban economic resilience in the city of Alexandria within the framework of the project "Building Urban Economic Resilience During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic", which was implemented in sixteen cities around the world, including three Arab cities, namely Alexandria, Beirut and Kuwait. In the context of this project, the Economic Recovery and Urban Resilience Tool was developed as a diagnostic and planning tool for building urban resilience to withstand economic shocks resulting from global developments beyond the control of local and national governments. The tool was applied and showed that the city of Alexandria has succeeded in reducing the impact of the COVID-19 on the local economy. It was able to withstand economic shocks during the crisis and succeeded in achieving a moderate situation with minimal disruption in the manufacturing sector, accounting for about a third of the city's gross product.
The report concludes with policy recommendations for economic recovery and resilience. These recommendations highlight the importance of maintaining the diversification of the local economy, the need to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem, encouraging local financial institutions and the business community to help increase the number of start-ups. The recommendations emphasize the need to the involve all stakeholders in the design and implementation of initiatives that promote investment; to provide employment programmes for low-skilled people, who represent a large share of the city's population; and to enhance official skills through training programmes and development and economic strategies.
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The report reviews the plan to build urban economic resilience in the city of Alexandria within the framework of the project "Building Urban Economic Resilience During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic", which was implemented in sixteen cities around the world, including three Arab cities, namely Alexandria, Beirut and Kuwait. In the context of this project, the Economic Recovery and Urban Resilience Tool was developed as a diagnostic and planning tool for building urban resilience to withstand economic shocks resulting from global developments beyond the control of local and national governments. The tool was applied and showed that the city of Alexandria has succeeded in reducing the impact of the COVID-19 on the local economy. It was able to withstand economic shocks during the crisis and succeeded in achieving a moderate situation with minimal disruption in the manufacturing sector, accounting for about a third of the city's gross product.
The report concludes with policy recommendations for economic recovery and resilience. These recommendations highlight the importance of maintaining the diversification of the local economy, the need to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem, encouraging local financial institutions and the business community to help increase the number of start-ups. The recommendations emphasize the need to the involve all stakeholders in the design and implementation of initiatives that promote investment; to provide employment programmes for low-skilled people, who represent a large share of the city's population; and to enhance official skills through training programmes and development and economic strategies.