Tunis, 09 January 2019 – Within the framework of its partnership with Libya’s Urban Planning Agency (UPA), UN-Habitat started a ten-day training course in Geoinformation System (GIS) mapping on urban planning for 18 civil servants from different branches of UPA across Libya, and the municipalities of Benghazi, Ubari, Al Kufra, Sebha, Sirte and Janzour.

Funded by the Urban Planning Agency, the training course is part of the Institutional Capacity Building Project that aims to strengthen the national technical capacities in urban planning and development and contribute to the ongoing national stabilization efforts supported by the United Nations.

“UN-Habitat and the Urban Planning Agency are committed to pursue their partnership in order to improve knowledge and delivery on sustainable urban planning.” stated Ms. Nada Al Hassan, UN-Habitat Senior Human Settlements Officer, Tunisia and Libya Office. “Through this Capacity Building Project, urban specialists are enabled to formulate informed multi-sectoral and area-based analysis at national and local levels, to plan the recovery and reconstruction of Libya within the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda”.

Once back to Libya, the participants will put the package of pedagogical skills and technical expertise into practice for the assessment and monitoring of Informal Housing in six Municipal areas.