Amman, Oct. 13 (Petra) -- The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) took part in the fifth United Nations Forum of Mayors in Geneva, organized in cooperation with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the UN regional commissions, and the Global Cities Hub, with the participation of mayors from around the world.
According to a statement by GAM on Monday, the forum aimed to develop a collective document highlighting the central role of cities and local authorities in shaping a sustainable future, focusing on key themes, including good health and well-being, gender equality, and decent work and economic growth.
Deputy Chairman of the GAM Committee, Ziad Reyhany told a side event titled "Voluntary Local Reviews – Crafting the Process: Cities talk to each other," that the theme "Cities talk to each other" comes at a time when cities need to exchange experiences to build a sustainable future.
In the session on climate finance mechanisms, Reyhany said that Amman, like other major cities, faces growing challenges from shifting rainfall patterns and recurring flash floods. He stressed the need for flexible financing tools and smart urban solutions capable of protecting lives and property while enhancing the city’s resilience.
He noted that GAM, in cooperation with its international partners, succeeded in mobilizing significant international financing for projects aimed at adapting to the impacts of climate change. Among the most notable are smart water management projects addressing flooding, implemented with funding from the governments of Japan and the Netherlands and coordinated by the UN-Habitat program.
Reyhany also participated in a session on Voluntary Local and Subnational Reviews (VLRs/VSRs), emphasizing that Amman is among leading cities in the region to adopt the VLR approach as a key tool for localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and measuring progress toward their achievement. This, he said, links city planning to national strategies and the global 2030 Agenda.
He added that Amman’s first VLR, launched in 2022 alongside Jordan’s second Voluntary National Review, was the result of a participatory effort involving more than 60 entities from ministries, universities, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations, with technical support from UN-Habitat, ESCWA, and the United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia branch (UCLG-MEWA). The process embodied alignment between national and local levels and ensured that local efforts were reflected in national reporting.
Reyhany pointed out that Amman began preparing its second VLR earlier this year in cooperation with UN-Habitat and ESCWA. The new review is more comprehensive and ambitious, covering eight goals with a focus on impact measurement and tangible outcomes. The process involves extensive consultations with youth, women, marginalized communities, and refugees to ensure inclusivity and fairness, building on the Amman Urban Observatory, now a central hub for urban data used to support evidence-based policymaking.
Launched in 2020, the UN Forum of Mayors serves as a global platform for sharing expertise and best practices in sustainable urban development. It covers key topics such as good health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, climate finance, housing challenges, and voluntary local reviews.
//Petra// AO
