As the national and regional centre for international cooperation, the city of Amman is crucial to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Jordan and the Arab region as a whole. In this context, the lack of urban data collection tools is one of the challenges of advancing its sustainable urban development. Addressing this challenge, UN-Habitat, ESCWA, and the United Cities and Local Governments - Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA), in close cooperation with the Greater Amman Municipality, led the development of the first Voluntary Local Review (VLR) in the Arab region.

This VLR does not solely discuss the city’s actions and performance against the selected SDG targets based on available data, but also analyses the consequent implications on policy and practice in order to improve Amman’s performance against SDG 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 17 (outlined in Chapter 2). Its mechanism has become an essential tool for cities around the world in reporting and tracking SDGs progress. This review includes key messages to guide the sustainable urbanization of Amman in the coming years and emphasizes the long-standing commitment of the Greater Amman Municipality and the United Nations to continuously work together towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, while leaving no one and no place behind.