Habitat Country Programme Document - 2021-2023 Lebanon
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Habitat Country
Programme Document.
Lebanon
2021–2023
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT / 2021–2023
www.unhabitat.org/lebanon
unhabitat-lebanon@un.org
@UNHabitatLB
Citation format: UN-Habitat Lebanon (2021) Habitat Country Programme Document 2021–2023, Beirut: UN-Habitat Lebanon. Copyright © 2021 UN-Habitat. All rights reserved.
3
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT 2021–2023
Geographical areas of current intervention by UN-Habitat in Lebanon by sector
Mediterranean Sea
31
2021–2023
4
Akkar
32 1
5 2
Tripoli Hermel
39 3
Minie-Danniye
7 Zgharta
Koura 6
33 North
Bcharre
Batroun
40 36
Baalbek-Hermel
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
8
Jbeil 21
9
Baalbek
10 22
Kesrouane
17 23
16 El-Metn
Mount Lebanon 24
18
19 Beirut
Baabda Zahle
25
37
Aley 26
12 27
Bekaa
Chouf 35
13 West Bekaa
14
15 11
Jezzine
20
016 -2019) Rachaiya
34
Saida Nabatiyeh
38
30
Nabatiyeh Hasbaiya
28
South
Marjayoun
29 Tyr
Bent Jbeil Syria
41
4
Targeted Sectors
Mobility & Transportation Education Shelter
Local Economy & Livelihoods Urban Upgrading Energy
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Local Governance Health
Heritage Preservation Public Spaces
2021–2023
Urban Profiling Protection
Targeted Areas
Targeted Neighbourhoods
1. Hayy El-Qalaa 11. Maraash 21. Shooab
2. Hayy El-Blat 12. Naameh 22. Mogher El-Taheen
3. Hayy El-Arab 13. Barja El-Qadimeh 23. El-Soleh Sahet El-Naser
4. Jabal Mohsen 14. Sibline 24. Haoush El-Oumara
5. Bab El-Tabbaneh 15. Ketermaya El-Qadimeh 25. Taalabaya El-Fawaa
6. El-Qobbeh 16. Karantina 26. Hayy El-Souk
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
7. Haddadine 17. Karm El-Zeytoun 27. El-Marj
8. Hayy El-Kharoubeh 18. Hayy Tamlis 28. Old Saida
9. Hayy El-Jadid 19. Daouk-Ghawash 29. Maachouk
10. Nabaa 20. Sabra
Targeted Municipalities Targeted Unions of Municipalities (UoMs)
30. Tyre 39. Al-Fayhaa
31. Beddaoui 40. Coastal and Central Metn
32. El-Mina 41. Tyre
33. Tripoli
34. Beirut
35. Bourj Hammoud
36. Baalbeck
37. Zahle
38. Saida
5
6
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT 2021–2023
Contents.
2021–2023
• Introduction 4
• Country Analysis 6 General
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
6 Urban context
8 Key challenges
• Country Priorities 10
• Habitat Country Programme
14 Domains of change
Document (HCPD)
14 Global and regional frameworks
15 Programme rationale
18 Programme focus areas
21 Programme and risk management
23 Monitoring and evaluation
• References 24
1
2
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT 2021–2023
in Lebanon safe, i
and sust
"Making cities and u
2021–2023
urban communities
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
inclusive, resilient
tainable"
3
Karm El Zeitoun, Beirut ©UN-Habitat
Introduction.
2021–2023
Lebanon has made progress with regards to disparities have been growing. Until the recent
economic, social and human development de- socio-economic crisis, large-scale construction
spite facing both recurrent internal and exter- and development projects took place, especially
nal shocks. The country has shown exceptional along the coastal zone – where the majority of
resilience and solidarity, welcoming around 1.5 the Lebanese population resides – further con-
million Syrian refugees since 2011 – the high- tributing to pre-existing socioeconomic and en-
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
est per capita number of refugees in the world. vironmental challenges that Lebanon continues
However, economic, social, urban, demographic, to face. The lack of local planning and cross-sec-
political and development challenges have been toral master plans hinders any absorption capac-
compounded by multiple recent and ongoing cri- ity of the increasing urban population and its so-
ses, the October 2019 civil uprising, the COVID-19 cial, economic, environmental and demographic
pandemic, the continued socioeconomic and fi- needs.
nancial downfall, the resignation of two consecu-
tive governments in under a year and the August During and since the Lebanese Civil War (1975–
2020 Beirut Port explosion. 1990), service systems and infrastructure have
become increasingly deficient and have not been
Lebanon is one of the most urbanized countries systematically addressed or maintained since.
in both the Arab region and the world, with 88.76 In addition to the Beirut Port explosion of 4 Au-
per cent of its population living in urban areas and gust 2020, Lebanon and its growing population
the majority – estimated at 64 per cent – residing face a multitude of hazards, both natural and
in the metropolitan areas of Beirut and Tripoli.1 human-made. The city’s seismic risk is consid-
Urban expansion in Lebanon is concentrated in ered by many experts to be serious. In addition,
and around the main coastal cities (Beirut, Tripoli, different national and regional crises have con-
Saida and Tyre), between secondary cities and in tributed to Lebanon’s current urban landscape.
the form of informal areas on the belts of cities. Furthermore, Lebanon does not have institutional
national-scale mechanisms in place to effective-
The country has for decades witnessed rapid ly prevent, mitigate or respond to natural and hu-
and uncontrolled urban growth and sprawl. With man-made disasters. The protracted Syrian refu-
limited planning regulations in place or enforced, gee crisis, the fragile economy and the COVID-19
built-up areas are expanding to cover increas- pandemic have also placed additional pressure
ingly large spaces, while at the same time urban on already fragmented and struggling cities and
1
UN-Habitat Lebanon, 2018, pp. 7–8.
42021–2023
urban agglomerations, resulting in increased In line with UN-Habitat’s global mandate, the en-
poverty and widening the social inequality gap. visaged three-year programme includes three in-
terlinked and mutually reinforcing focus areas:
Uncontrolled urbanization and the aforemen- • Promoting inclusive and sustainable urban
tioned and multiple crises have contributed to, development,
among others: • Promoting participatory urban planning,
• Increased pressure on basic urban services management and governance, and
in already poorly served urban areas; • Improving disaster risk mitigation and effec-
• Declined socioeconomic situation and in- tive urban crisis response.
creased social tensions;
• Formation of informal – slum-like – areas on The Lebanon 2021–2023 HCPD is aligned with
the belts of cities; recent international and regional frameworks,
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
• Loss of natural resources, habitats and bio- notably the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sus-
diversity; and tainable Development (adopted in 2015) and its
• Inadequate access to housing, notably in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sen-
poor urban neighbourhoods. dai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–
2030 (also known as the Sendai Framework), the
Many of the above challenges necessitate an New Urban Agenda (NUA, adopted in 2016) and
urban response, with the need to ensure good the Paris Agreement on climate change (signed in
urbanization is at the core of national policy and 2016). Furthermore, it is as well aligned with the
planning discourse. In this context, the Unit- national frameworks and agendas including the
ed Nations Human Settlements Programme government-endorsed Lebanon Crisis Response
(UN-Habitat) is driven by a long-term vision Plan (LCRP, 2017–2021) and the United Nations
that strives to: Strategic Framework for Lebanon (UNSF, 2017–
2021). It is also in line with UN-Habitat’s global
“make cities and urban communities in Strategic Plan 2020–2023 and regional strategic
Lebanon safe, inclusive, resilient and plan as well as other regional urban frameworks,
sustainable”. including the Arab Strategy for Housing and Sus-
tainable Urban Development 2030.
Thus, the overarching goal of this Lebanon 2021–
2023 Habitat Country Programme Document
(HCPD) is to contribute to improving the living
conditions of children, youth, women and men
in Lebanon – regardless of their nationality – by
creating liveable urban areas that are effectively
planned and managed, environmentally sound,
financially viable and competitive, and socially
cohesive through good and inclusive governance
and equitable distribution of resources.
5Country Analysis.
2021–2023
General Sudan and other countries of origin.5 The pres-
ence of these population groups has placed sig-
Lebanon is an upper-middle-income country nificant additional strain on already overburdened
with an estimated population of 6.85 million. In resources and vulnerable Lebanese communi-
2020, the gross domestic product per capita was ties. Public services are overstretched, with de-
USD 51,992.2 The country is ranked 92 out of 192 mand exceeding the capacity of institutions and
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
countries, according to the 2020 Human Devel- infrastructure. The loss of cross-border trade, the
opment Index.3 Since 2019, Lebanon’s macro- slowdown in the tourism and service industries,
economy has been assailed by compounding and the suspension of private sector investment
crises, beginning with a political, economic and has led to constrained economic growth and un-
financial crisis, followed by the COVID-19 pan- employment, along with increased social tension.
demic and lastly the Beirut Port explosion. In Oc-
tober 2019, the economy plunged into a financial Urban Context
crisis brought about by a sudden stop in capi-
tal inflows, which precipitated systemic failures Despite being predominantly urban, Lebanon has
across banking, debt and the United States Dollar long failed to address the challenges that are as-
and Lebanese Lira exchange rate. sociated with its particular experience of rapid
urbanization. Historically, the Lebanese state has
In addition to pre-existing development challeng- demonstrated a laissez-faire approach to spatial
es, the Syrian refugee crisis since 2011 has pro- development. Land regulation and building code
foundly affected Lebanon, further impacting po- designations that do exist are not uniformly en-
litical, social, economic and security situations.4 forced and require improvements, and the state
Government estimates suggest that there are 1.5 has shied away from reforming the spatial devel-
million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, in addition to opment sector.
nearly 200,000 Palestinian refugees under the A large and increasing share of Lebanon’s res-
mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works idents are suffering from a lack of affordable
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and adequate housing. There is a supply/de-
(UNRWA), as well as 17,000 refugees from Iraq, mand mismatch in terms of prices, tenure ar-
2
The World Bank, 2021.
3
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2020
4
The World Bank, 2013; The World Bank Group, 2016; and The United Nations Country Strategic Analysis for Lebanon, 2015-2019.
5
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 2020
62021–2023
Bourj Hammoud, Mount Lebanon
Qobbeh, Tripoli ©UN-Habitat Jabal Mohsen, Tripoli ©UN-Habitat ©UN-Habitat
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
rangements, and quality of housing. The housing icy for the housing sector. Also, it does not have
market is to a large extent segregated, catering a specialized governance body mandated with
to different socioeconomic as well as sectarian ensuring housing for all, such as a ministry for
groups. During the post-Civil War period, rental housing.
and housing prices increased drastically, ren-
dering adequate housing unattainable for a large From a policy perspective, the country still lacks
majority of inhabitants. Central areas of the cit- national urban frameworks that guide the land
ies are characterized by very high density, over- use planning process. At the institutional level,
crowded and poorly serviced accommodations, while a special Ministry of Planning existed in the
and precarious tenure in pockets next to high- 1960s, the Council for Development and Recon-
end real estate development of which a large struction (CDR) has been responsible since 1977
share is vacant or unsold. for the planning and programming of war-related
reconstruction/rehabilitation projects in all sec-
From a legal perspective, the right to adequate tors across Lebanon. The urban planning insti-
housing and protection of households’ housing, tutional landscape is fragmented, with a range of
land, and property (HLP) rights are preserved local and central actors involved.
through Lebanon’s legal framework and its in-
ternational obligations (such as the Universal Municipalities are unable to fully play their (often
Declaration of Human Rights and the Interna- front-line) role and to respond to urban challenges
tional Covenant on Economic, Social and Cul- due to a number of constraints. These mainly
tural Rights).6 However, these principles are not include poor financial capacities and an over-re-
well-enshrined in existing governance structures. liance on revenues centrally transferred on ad
Firstly, Lebanon lacks a national strategy and pol- hoc basis, weak human resources and technical
6
UN-Habitat and UNHCR, 2018.
72021–2023
capacities, an overcentralized system and heavy ic difficulties. Within its small territory, Lebanon
bureaucracy. Decree 118/77 of the Municipal boasts five UNESCO world heritage sites; howev-
Law has devoted much of the planning-related to er, cultural heritage is increasingly under threat,
municipalities. Article 49 of the aforementioned especially in conflict or post-conflict areas.
decree allows municipalities, in collaboration Long-term neglect, collateral damage, and lack
with the Directorate General of Urban Planning of resources, exacerbated by previous protract-
(DGUP), to draft their master or detailed plans, ed conflicts in Lebanon, have caused serious ne-
designs as well as regulations, and to parcel out glect to the overall preservation of the country’s
projects. However, in most cases, the central au- unique cultural heritage.
thorities restrain the power of local authorities by
granting them only a consultative role in the im- Key Challenges
plementation of their urban policies.
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
Through strategic review in consultation with
Today, cities and urban communities in Lebanon national and local stakeholders and experts,
embody the typical, globally recognized features UN-Habitat has identified the following overar-
of a malfunctioning urban system, which include ching five gaps and challenges relating to the
among others: urban context of the country:
• Inadequate basic infrastructure and services,
including potable water, wastewater, electric- Political and socioeconomic challenges
ity, transportation, solid waste management • Political instability, exacerbating social ten-
and limited safe and inclusive public spaces. sions.
• Increased urban poverty, inequalities and • Urban poverty and polarization.
disparities, which are manifested in the pro- • Vast immigration to large cities, existence of
liferation of slums, informal settlements and informal areas/settlements and slums.
poor urban neighbourhoods and can contrib- • Significant economic and social impact due
ute to increased unsafe public spaces, par- to the refugee influx.
ticularly impacting women and children. • Under-regulated free market housing sector
• Poor access to affordable and adequate combined with a lack of social housing pro-
housing. vision.
Lebanon and its growing population face a mul- Infrastructure and basic services challenges
titude of hazards, both natural and human-made • Increased pressure on basic urban services
disasters. The country is threatened by the pros- in already poorly served urban areas.
pect of severe weather events and increasing • Poor-quality basic urban services (water,
stress on its water resources due to the impacts wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, elec-
of climate change. Inter-communal tensions and tricity, transport).
recurrent security incidents have been on the rise • Shortage of social services (education, health).
since 2019, a significant cause of concern, and • Inadequate access to housing linked to urban ex-
only heightened by the ongoing socioeconom- pansion, notably in poor urban neighbourhoods.
82021–2023
Sabra, Beirut ©UN-Habitat
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
Institutional and urban governance challenges loss of open/public space; illicit use of public
• Weak and poor governance, including lack properties.
of transparency, accountability and commit- • Absence of urban policies and lack of ade-
ment. quate urban planning frameworks.
• Lack of up-to-date, reliable and monitorable • Inefficient use of development potential, such
area-based/spatial multisectoral urban data as coastal cities, inner agricultural lands, etc.
and well-developed and managed systems
for the collection, management and monitor- Climate challenges and hazards
ing of such data. • Inefficient integration of urban disaster risk
• Weak technical capacities at the local gov- management principles/measures into na-
ernment level. tional and subnational systems.
• Lack of coordination and overlapping man- • Gradual loss of green spaces and natural re-
dates of concerned stakeholders. sources, loss of biodiversity.
• Unequal and poor provision of urban ser- • Marginalization of environmental and cli-
vices. mate change issues.
• Lack of linkages between the country’s polit- • Multitude of hazards, both natural and hu-
ical framework and the work of development man-made.
agencies. • Considerable pollution created by transport
sector, industries, heat islands creation.
Urban planning and development policy chal-
lenges
• Unplanned growth/unevenly distributed pop-
ulation among the regions/regional dispari-
ties.
• Uncontrolled, unplanned urban development;
9Country Priorities.
2021–2023
At the time of publication, the current caretaker government has de-
veloped and launched a comprehensive three-year vision document
for 2020–2023,7 outlining development priorities encompassing mar-
ket-based reforms. Notwithstanding the possibility of a future gov-
ernment overhauling this vision,8 the strategy addresses Lebanon’s
three-year development priorities across several focus areas, through
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
complementary planning tools and support mechanisms. The strate-
gy comprises six pillars:
7
Launched by the Government of Lebanon on 4 May 2020 at the Grand Serail, Beirut,
Lebanon.
8
On 10 August 2020, current and caretaker Prime Minister, Mr. Hassan Diab, resigned
due to mounting political pressure and anger at the Lebanese government for their
failure to prevent the 4 August 2020 Beirut Port explosion, exacerbated by existing
political tensions and upheavals within the country. Since this date, his cabinet has been
a caretaker government, awaiting the formation of a new one.
102021–2023
• Financial reforms, including economic re-
form plan.
• Infrastructure and utilities: addressing sec-
toral reforms across electricity, telecommu-
nications, water, oil and gas, and aviation, in
line with CEDRE9 commitments, particular
location-based issues (coastal development,
urban and rural regeneration and preserva-
tion of historic centres in cities).
• Governance: addressing anti-corruption reg-
ulatory framework and judicial reforms and
digital transformation and public sector
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
modernization.
• Productive sectors development: focusing on
sectoral development for industry, agricul-
ture, and tourism and business reforms.
• Social policies: focusing on social assistance
(social safety nets), social protection policy,
labour policies, access to health services, as
well as access to affordable housing; and
• Environment: focusing on governance, waste
management, Litani River depollution, quar-
rying, air quality, and climate change adapta-
tion and mitigation.
9
Conférence économique pour le développement, par les
réformes et avec les entreprises (Economic Conference for
Development through Reforms with the Private sector).
11
Bourj Hammoud, Mount Lebanon ©UN-Habitat2021–2023
Although Lebanon does not have an up-to-date • Ensure access to affordable and adequate
national development plan, ministries have devel- housing.
oped their own strategies. Nevertheless, the cen-
tral alignment of sector plans and strategies with 3. Institutional and urban governance
national priorities has not been systemized and • Build institutional, administrative and techni-
the process of aligning them with Agenda 2030 cal capacities of national and local govern-
for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs – ment institutions and improve governance
and regularly monitoring progress against SDGs and coordination among state institutions at
– has not been implemented yet. national and subnational levels.
• Develop anti-corruption and judicial reforms.
Complementing the current national devel- • Develop digitization and public sector mod-
opment vision and priorities outlined above, ernization.
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
UN-Habitat – in consultation with national gov- • Develop sound mechanisms for urban data
ernment and non-government partners – has collection, management and monitoring at
identified the following five priorities, responding national and subnational levels.
to the identified five national challenges – with
the view to contribute to improving the living 4. Urban planning and development policy
conditions of children, youth, women and men • Achieve sustainable, smart, liveable and re-
in Lebanon – regardless of their nationality – by silient cities.
creating liveable urban areas that are effectively • Develop required, evidence-based urban de-
planned and managed, environmentally sound, velopment policies, guidelines and regula-
financially viable and competitive, and social- tions.
ly cohesive through good and inclusive gover- • Develop land management policies and re-
nance and equitable distribution of resources: forms.
1. Political and socioeconomic 5. Environment, climate challenges and hazards
• Achieve employment-generating economic • Protect natural resources, habitats and bio-
growth. diversity.
• Improve social protection systems for all • Ensure climate change adaptation and mit-
groups and address inequalities and social igation.
inclusion. • Ensure effective disaster risk management
• Develop national social protection (policy). and mitigation.
• Increase green public spaces and energy ef-
2. Infrastructure and basic services ficiency.
• Ensure access to health services.
• Develop policies for effective solid and chem-
ical waste management.
• Achieve energy security.
12UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
13
2021–2023
Sodeco, Beirut ©UN-HabitatHabitat Country Programme
2021–2023
Document (HCPD).
Domains of change tance in Lebanon. The HCPD will also strengthen
national capacities to manage the humanitari-
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
The HCPD reconciles potential urban scenarios an crisis with a view to preparing for hand-over
for Lebanon, including addressing other existing while ensuring that system improvements bene-
and ongoing humanitarian crises (such as the fit vulnerable Lebanese and non-Lebanese com-
Syrian refugee crisis), and envisions a degree munities sustainably.
of flexibility for UN-Habitat to adapt its country
strategic vision for 2021–2023 to the changing Global and regional frameworks
context and emerging opportunities. In line with
UN-Habitat’s Global Strategic Plan 2020–2023, The HCPD will align with global and regional
and based on its four interconnected and mutu- frameworks, namely the Agenda 2030 for Sus-
ally reinforcing domains of change – (1) reduced tainable Development, the New Urban Agenda
spatial inequality and poverty in communi- (NUA), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
ties across the urban-rural continuum; (2) en- Reduction, and the Arab Strategy for Housing
hanced shared prosperity of cities and regions; and Sustainable Urban Development 2030.
(3) strengthened climate action and improved
urban environment; and (4) effective urban cri- Within the framework of the United Nations Con-
sis prevention and response – UN-Habitat Leb- ference on Housing and Sustainable Urban De-
anon is well-positioned to confront the toughest velopment (Habitat III), held in Quito, Ecuador, in
urbanization challenges, and to take advantage 2016, world leaders adopted the NUA, presenting
of the opportunities that urbanization can offer a key paradigm shift in urbanization. The NUA
to maximize the positive contributions to overall represents a road map for developing cities that
sustainable development. can serve as engines of prosperity and centres
of cultural and social well-being, while protecting
In addition, the HCPD will contribute to strength- the environment. Globally, UN-Habitat is man-
ening systems, developing common delivery dated to lead the implementation of SDG 11. By
platforms and introducing innovations with other endorsing this stand-alone goal on cities, known
actors to increase the efficiency, equity and effec- as the “urban SDG”, the international community
tiveness of humanitarian and development assis- has recognized urbanization and city growth as
142021–2023
transformative forces for development. More- Arab States (ROAS) has developed the Regional
over, the third United Nations World Conference Strategic Plan (RSP), aiming to provide a key tool
on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), held in for ensuring the successful implementation of
Sendai, Japan, in 2015, created a real momen- UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2020–2023, which
tum in discussing policies and implementation repositions UN-Habitat as the global centre of
modalities boosting urban resilience. Those were excellence and innovation on sustainable urban
thoroughly examined during Habitat III. As a re- development at the regional and country levels.
sult, national governments recognized the need As a response to the needs and priorities of the
to prioritize spatial planning to continue investing Arab region, the RSP’s 2020–2023 vision is “to
in building stronger and more liveable cities. support the development of integrated, inclu-
sive, resilient and sustainable cities and human
The global UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2020–2023 settlements, capable of providing adequate
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
focuses on the agency’s commitment and contri- standard of living for all.”
bution to the implementation of these global de-
velopment agendas. Through its operational and Programme rationale
normative work, the agency aims to:
The HCPD aims to develop and implement inte-
“advance sustainable urbanization as a grated programmes in view of achieving greater
driver of development and peace to impact. As such, it is “people-focused” and will
improve living conditions for all”. spearhead interventions that are more holistic
rather than sectoral, transformative rather than
At the regional level, the HCPD is also aligned with fragmentary, linking urbanization and human
a number of key frameworks. The 2020–2022 settlements with the 2030 Agenda for Sustain-
Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) is a able Development and the humanitariandevel-
USD 5.5 billion plan that deals with the continued opmentpeace nexus, as proposed by the United
impact of the Syria crisis and is designed to sup- Nations Secretary-General’s reform.
port national efforts in this regard in Turkey, Leb-
anon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. The Arab Strategy The HCPD provides a framework for engagement
for Housing and Sustainable Urban Development with Lebanese national and local governments,
2030, prepared by the League of Arab States in as well as key stakeholders and is aligned with
2015, is another key regional framework that pro- UN-Habitat’s strategic and country-level prior-
poses a set of goals and targets to develop the ities and activities. It aims to establish a clear
housing and other relevant sectors to achieve in- linkage with the national development plans of
tegrated, inclusive and sustainable urbanization Lebanon and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
at the regional level. These goals and targets are Development.
to be adapted and developed at the national level,
according to the specific context of each country. In line with the overarching goal of the HCPD, the
main objective is to advance sustainable urban-
Additionally, UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for the ization as a driver of development and peace, to
15UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
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2021–2023UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
17
2021–2023
The Egyptian Port, Tyre ©UN-Habitat2021–2023
improve living conditions for all people living in alistic, due to the complexity of the political situ-
Lebanon. The HCPD aims to: ation, it is possible to increase the legitimacy and
• Promote inclusive and sustainable urban capacity of institutions; promoting inclusive, evi-
development to contribute to the national dence-based planning at the local level; support-
reform programme that aims to stimulate ing the adoption of specific reforms; strength-
growth, create employment, reduce poverty, ening mechanisms for community security and
and maintain social and political stability. reinforcing the capacity of front-line agencies to
• Promote participatory urban planning, man- respond to the challenges.
agement and governance through imple-
mentation of an integrated urban initiative to Programme focus areas
promote decentralization reforms, enhance
local governance processes and strengthen The Lebanon HCPD 2021–2023 will respond to
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
the capacities of national and local author- the aforementioned five priorities guided by the
ities. following three focus areas:
• Improve disaster risk mitigation and effective
urban crisis response by supporting the Gov- Focus Area 1: Inclusive and Sustainable Urban
ernment of Lebanon’s endeavours to create Development
efficient and responsible institutions able to To promote sustainable urbanization, the pro-
manage the cities and towns in Lebanon. gramme envisages through this focus area to
upscale its interventions at the national level
Through UN-Habitat’s normative and and influence urban policy reform and trans-
operational capacity and complementarity, the formation. While Lebanon is moving forward to
agency’s strategic entry point in Lebanon is to ar- implement the commitments made during CED-
ticulate the key challenges in urban development RE in 2018, reforming the country’s urban realm
in the country by: providing technical assistance emerges as a cross-cutting national priority. The
at national and local levels, to enhance urban planned large-scale investments in the country’s
strategies, policies, urban resiliency, plans and infrastructure require that the Government of
their implementation; and addressing urban Lebanon formulates guiding tools and practic-
challenges and engaging stakeholders at all lev- es that would prioritize urbanization challenges
els, including women, youth and marginalized and harness cities as drivers of development.
groups, in a constructive dialogue that fosters This step should be accompanied by a thorough
mutual understanding, reshapes perceptions review and reform of existing legal urban frame-
and identifies viable solutions. works and tools.
As a cross-sectoral issue, the HCPD will This focus area includes the following sub-focus
also address the effectiveness of public institu- areas and programmes:
tions, including contributing to enhanced local
governance capacity and systems strengthen- Sub-Focus Area 1.1 Effective urban settlements
ing. While comprehensive reforms may not be re- growth and regeneration through peace building,
182021–2023
improved spatial connectivity and productivity of that promote environmentally sustainable cities
cities and regions. through the development of policies, institutional
arrangements, establishment of supportive le-
• Urban renewal, gentrification and regenera- gal frameworks, and planning that support sus-
tion. tainable urban policies. The promotion of urban
• Informal settlements and slums. events and linked to the development of a Na-
• Urban-rural linkages-connectivity and pro- tional Urban Policy, such as a National Urban Fo-
ductivity. rum (NUF) for building awareness and capacity
• Capacity development of city authorities. in the urban realm is an effective way to create
dialogue on issues of common concern. The NUF
Sub-Focus Area 1.2 Improved social protection can also strengthen coordination within cities
systems, reduced poverty and spatial inequality and between cities and national authorities.
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
in urban and rural communities.
• Social and basic services (education, health, This focus area includes the following sub-focus
infrastructure projects in deprived urban ar- areas and programmes:
eas).
• Social cohesion. Sub-Focus Area 2.1 Increased and secure ac-
• Public and green spaces. cess to land, and adequate and affordable hous-
ing.
Sub-Focus Area 1.3 Expanded deployment of • National housing strategies, policies and
frontier technologies and innovations for urban plans.
development. • Social housing projects.
• Smart cities. • Tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
• E-governance. • HLP rights for all population groups.
• Digitization and public sector modernization.
Sub-Focus Area 2.2 Enhanced policies and re-
Focus Area 2: Participatory Urban Planning, forms for safe, resilient and sustainable urban-
Management and Governance ization.
To address the challenges of rapid urbanization • National urban policy.
in Lebanon, this focus area emphasizes, through • Urban population movements and effective
concrete actions, the urgent need to make avail- urban sprawl management.
able locally verified urban data that represents • Institutional, administrative and technical
one of the key ingredients for promoting inclusive capacity-building and governance improve-
urban and land use planning. Additionally, secur- ment at local and subnational.
ing public and green spaces in urban settings is
considered a key component of the planning pro- Sub-Focus Area 2.3 Inclusive urban land use
cess. UN-Habitat will support the Government of planning
Lebanon’s efforts in building a resilient economy • National, regional and local master plans that
by bringing forward initiatives and programmes promote land use as the tool for enhanced
192021–2023
socio-economic development, taking into change mitigation and adaptation options and
consideration vulnerabilities and population practices among stakeholders, including tech-
groups across communities. nology transfer, capacity-building and access to
Capitalizing on its vast experience in this domain international finance; improve sustainable trans-
along with other United Nations sister agencies, portation, including public transportation and
UN-Habitat – in cooperation with relevant nation- urban mobility; improve sustainable water, land
al and subnational stakeholders – will continue and natural disaster management, addressing
promoting area-based approaches to planning challenges such as air pollution, sand and dust
and implementation. UN-Habitat’s three-year storms/desertification/deforestation/soil con-
programme will support the central government tamination, biodiversity conservation, and marine
and local authorities to move towards more stra- and coastal environmental protection; scale-up
tegic and integrated urban and regional planning and mainstream the adoption of energy-efficient
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
frameworks with a view to ensuring territorial ho- buildings, resource-efficient and cleaner patterns
mogeneity, boosting economic competitiveness, of production, promoting renewable energies and
and achieving social cohesion and stability. minimizing generation and discharge of emis-
sions, effluents, wastes and heavy metals.
Focus Area 3: Disaster Risk Mitigation and Ef-
fective Urban Crisis Response This focus area includes the following sub-focus
UN-Habitat will offer continued support to the areas and programmes:
Government of Lebanon’s efforts in relation to
environmental issues, crisis response, migration, Sub-Focus Area 3.1 Resilient built environment,
sustainable transportation, environmentally sus- infrastructure and utilities.
tainable infrastructure and climate change. Par- • Resilient construction, rehabilitation and res-
ticular attention will be given to supporting efforts toration of the built environment, infrastruc-
to: establish a better understanding of climate ture projects.
Bourj Hammoud, Mount Lebanon Bourj Hammoud, Mount Lebanon
©UN-Habitat Gemmayzeh, Beirut ©UN-Habitat ©UN-Habitat
202021–2023
• Institutional and communal capacity on re- systems at the national and subnational lev-
silience. els. To mitigate this risk, UN-Habitat will work
• Emergency mapping and planning including closely with national and local governments as
urban data collection/monitoring. well as other United Nations organizations and
• Urban mobility. relevant actors (e.g. academic and research in-
• Water harvesting. stitutions) to strengthen existing state systems
including the national statistics system, and
Sub-Focus Area 3.2 Effective adaptation of cli- possibly pool resources and, therefore, collect
mate change into development plans. and monitor common area-based data at city
• Use of renewable energy to reduce green- and neighbourhood levels in a cost-effective
house emissions and improve energy secu- way, with the involvement of communities and
rity and air quality. the adoption of innovative technologies where
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
• Protection of natural resources, habitats and possible, building on its extensive previous ex-
biodiversity. perience with city and neighbourhood profiling.
• Adaptation of communities and infrastruc-
ture to climate change. • The continuation of the humanitarian and
• Solid waste management. development challenges informed by the
protracted Syrian refugee crisis has result-
Sub-Focus Area 3.3 Effective urban crisis pre- ed in high demand on social and basic ser-
vention and response. vices and increased tensions among host
• Upgrading of disadvantaged urban neigh- and refugee populations, leading to a fragile
bourhoods. country stability on the political and securi-
• Building cities and towns that are resilient to ty levels. Through the LCRP, UN-Habitat has
public health emergencies and other crises. been steering its programmes to focusing on
• Enhancing living standards and inclusion of five sectors that represent key risk factors in
migrants, refugees, internally displaced per- urban vulnerable neighbourhoods: shelter,
sons and returnees through effective crisis water, energy, protection and social stability.
response and recovery.
• Risk sensitive land use planning strategies. • The COVID-19 pandemic, which is threaten-
ing to leave deep social, economic and po-
Programme and risk management litical scars for years to come, particularly in
Lebanon, which is weighed down by fragility,
Risks that may prevent the successful imple- poverty and conflict, may negatively affect the
mentation of the proposed programme include: implementation of the programme. UN-Hab-
itat’s COVID-19 Policy and Programme
• An absence of multisectoral urban data for evi- Framework10 that provides guidance for
dence-based programming and poor monitoring global, regional and country-level actions will
10
UN-Habitat, 2020.
21UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
22
2021–2023
Barja, Mount Lebanon ©UN-Habitat2021–2023
be the essential tool to overcome this chal- Monitoring and evaluation
lenge. The framework is a key instrument to
focus and scale UN-Habitat’s contribution to The three-year Habitat Country Programme will
the overall response led by national and local be thoroughly monitored through multiple tools
governments, United Nations agencies and and instruments. A yearly programme monitor-
local partners. ing plan (PMP) will be developed and will serve as
a master sheet that will be updated every three
• The continued deterioration of the eco- to six months through field validation that will be
nomic situation may lower the focus on used to measure output indicators and ensure
sustainable urban development concerns. that interventions are accomplished in a time-
The measures UN-Habitat has adopted to ly manner. The plan will display the intervention
address this risk include developing a close strategy, output indicators, baseline information,
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
relationship with the local governments and means of verification, targets, accomplishments,
private sector and encouraging the adoption risks, assumptions and mitigation strategies. In
of appropriate measures, even in a weak pol- addition, activity work plans (AWP) will be devel-
icy environment; mainstreaming sustainable oped to demonstrate activity-level indicators re-
development in all subnational initiatives; fo- lated to each donor-funded project. AWPs will be
cusing on capacity-building for future action; updated on a monthly basis and will inform the
and scaling up innovations through market overall PMP.
and financing mechanisms.
At the end of the HCPD cycle, a country pro-
• An increased demand on UN-Habitat ser- gramme-level evaluation will be conducted,
vices that overstretches the organiza- which will provide the country programme, its
tion and affects its capacity to respond. governing bodies and donors with an indepen-
UN-Habitat will review its operations and dent and forward-looking appraisal of its oper-
identify and adopt efficient ways and innova- ational experience, achievements, opportunities
tive approaches to expand without affecting and challenges. Findings and recommendations
programme quality or delivery. National im- from the evaluation are expected to play an in-
plementation, with operational support from strumental role in shaping the focus of UN-Habi-
the Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS), tat in planning and programming future projects,
is the preferred modality. Direct implementa- influencing strategies, adjusting the programme
tion will be used on an ad-hoc basis, and in as appropriate, capitalizing on opportunities, rep-
agreement with the government. Alternative licating and upscaling the implementation ap-
delivery models, such as full national imple- proach used, demonstrating the value of activi-
mentation and non-governmental organiza- ties for targeted beneficiaries, and improving how
tions (NGOs), will be considered where nec- the programme addresses national priorities.
essary. Community-based implementation
will be pursued in partnership with relevant
United Nations organizations.
23References.
2021–2023
The World Bank (2013) Lebanon – Economic and Social Impact Assessment of the Syrian Conflict (Eng-
lish) [online], Washington, D.C.: The World Bank Group. Available from: https://documents.worldbank.org/en/
publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/925271468089385165/lebanon-economic-and-social-im-
pact-assessment-of-the-syrian-conflict [Accessed 26 May, 2021].
The World Bank (2021) Lebanon. [online] Available from: https://data.worldbank.org/country/lebanon [Ac-
UN-HABITAT LEBANON / HABITAT COUNTRY PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
cessed 26 May, 2021].
The World Bank Group (2016) Lebanon: Promoting Poverty Reduction and Shared Prosperity [online],
Washington, D.C.: The World Bank Group. Available from: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curat-
ed/en/951911467995104328/pdf/103201-REPLACEMNT-PUBLIC-Lebanon-SCD-Le-Borgne-and-Ja-
cobs-2016.pdf [Accessed 26 May, 2021].
UNDP (2020) Human Development Report 2020 - The Next Frontier: Human Development and the An-thropo-
cene [online], New York: UNDP. Available from: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf [Accessed
26 May, 2021].
UN-Habitat (2020) UN-Habitat COVID-19 Response Plan [online], Nairobi: UN-Habitat. Available from: https://
unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/04/final_un-habitat_covid-19_response_plan.pdf [Accessed 26 May,
2021].
UN-Habitat and UNHCR (2018) Housing, Land and Property Issues of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon from
Homs City: Implications of the Protracted Refugee Crisis [online], Beirut: UN-Habitat Lebanon. Available from:
https://unhabitat.org/housing-land-and-property-issues-of-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon-from-homs-city-
november-2018 [Accessed 26 May, 2021].
UN-Habitat Lebanon (2018) UN-Habitat Lebanon Country Profile [online], Beirut: UN-Habitat Lebanon. Avail-
able from: https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/download-manager-files/Country%20Profile%20Leba-
non%20English.pdf [Accessed 25 May, 2021].
UNHCR (2020) Lebanon. Operational Fact Sheet [online], January 2020, p. 1. Available from: https://www.
unhcr.org/lb/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/02/UNHCR-Lebanon-Operational-Fact-sheet-Janu-
ary-2020.pdf [Accessed 26 May, 2021].
24A better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world Email us at unhabitat-lebanon@un.org Follow us on social media @UNHabitatLB
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