Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Municipalities and Housing - in partnership with United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) - aims to develop the National Urban Policy (NUP) that can serve as a cohesive framework linking economic diversification, housing, infrastructure and environmental sustainability across cities and regions in the kingdom.

In its continued efforts to develop the kingdom’s NUP, it organised the second workshop in the current phase of the project, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), reported SPA.

The event forms part of a participatory process to prepare the Kingdom’s first NUP, which aims to unify and integrate national efforts in urban planning, management, and development.

The key policy seeks to establish a comprehensive national framework to guide urban growth, enhance planning system efficiency, and align with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and international best practices.

The workshop reviewed and further developed draft policies and procedures, strengthened coordination across sectors and governance levels, and enhanced alignment between national priorities and regional and local planning frameworks. Discussions also focused on identifying participatory solutions to establish practical mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, and follow-up to ensure measurable impact, it stated.

In his opening remarks, Vice Minister for Urban Planning and Land Affairs Khalid Al Ghamlas described the development of the NUP as a strategic step toward improving responses to current and future urban challenges.

He stressed the importance of continued integrated collaboration among relevant entities to formulate a policy that reflects national priorities and keeps pace with rapid urban transformation, said the SPA report.

Al Ghamlas said the current phase represents a key milestone in the policy development process, noting that proposals and feedback presented during the workshop will directly contribute to refining the next version of the policy and shaping a clearer, more comprehensive implementation framework.

UNDP Resident Representative in the Kingdom Nahid Hussein and UN-Habitat Representative Taina Christiansen underscored the importance of integrating national and international expertise and strengthening institutional cooperation to ensure the development of an urban policy that supports sustainable development, inclusivity, and improved quality of life in the Kingdom’s cities.