University President welcomed Delegation of the “Urban Resilience in Africa” Initiative to Study the Case of Damietta and Its Three Cities. Professor Dr. Hemdan Rabie El-Metwally, President of Damietta University, welcomed this morning, Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at his office the delegation of the “Urban Resilience in Africa” initiative, as part of the initiative’s agenda in which Damietta Governorate participates as Egypt’s and North Africa’s representative.
The delegation included Mr. Ifad Abdel-Tawab from the General Administration of International Cooperation and Community Participation at the Urban Development Fund; Mr. Himanshu Shekhar from the United Nations University in Germany; Dr. Iman Zeid; and Mr. Mohamed Hassanein from Ain Shams University.
During the meeting, Professor Dr. Hemdan Rabie welcomed the delegation, expressing his pleasure that Damietta Governorate was chosen to represent Egypt in the initiative. He explained that the case study will cover three cities within the governorate—Damietta City, Ras El-Bar, and New Damietta—reflecting the diversity of industrial, economic, and tourism activities that distinguish the governorate. He added that this step highlights Damietta’s distinguished position and its promising potential to serve as a model in the field of sustainable development and urban resilience.
The President also expressed his pride in hosting part of the initiative’s activities at Damietta University, affirming the university’s full readiness to provide its academic and research expertise in support of the initiative’s goals. He pointed out that New Damietta represents an important model of modern cities in Egypt, combining advanced urban planning with diverse economic activities, making it a fertile environment for the studies and assessments the initiative seeks to accomplish.
Subsequently, the delegation held an extended meeting with Prof. Dr. El-Metwally Mostafa Selim, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture; Professor Dr. Hamdy El-Ghandour, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Professor Dr. Wael Abdel-Wahab, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce; and Professor Dr. Omnia El-Batraoui, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science for Community Service and Environmental Development.
During the meeting, the delegation inquired from the deans about the advantages enjoyed by New Damietta City as well as the challenges it faces on various levels.
The deans highlighted key aspects of the city, including its infrastructure, economic and social components, as well as its potential in the fields of industry, investment, tourism, and education. They also pointed out the challenges that require innovative solutions and integrated cooperation among different stakeholders.
The delegation members praised the insights and proposals presented by the deans, stressing that these contributions would greatly support the success of the case study on Damietta Governorate (covering Damietta, Ras El-Bar, and New Damietta) within the framework of the initiative, thereby strengthening its position as a pioneering model of urban resilience in Africa.
It is worth noting that the African Urban Resilience Programme (AUIRP) aims to enhance the capacity of cities to adapt to various crises and pressures—whether natural, such as floods, earthquakes, and climate change, or human-induced, such as economic and social crises—while ensuring the continuity of daily activities and a swift recovery without disrupting the development process. The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the United Nations University, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the African Union Commission, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UN-Habitat.
