This year, the World Habitat Day as part of the annual Urban October will be organized under the theme 'Housing for All. A Better Urban Future.'

Housing in Somalia is closely linked to land, water and other basic urban services. As we know, Beledweyne has constantly suffered from devastating floods that affect people's live and the delivery of essential services by government and other stakeholders. Over the past decade, floods have increased in magnitude and recurrence, reaching alarming levels. Climate change and the environmental degradation of the region will continue increasing frequency and intensity of natural hazards. At the same time, the fast urbanization rates of Beledweyne will multiply vulnerability of the urban population, its physical assets and its economy.

UN-Habitat Somalia Programme and students from the Institute for Cooperation in Basic Habitability (ICHaB-ETSAM) in Madrid have jointly developed Working paper on Flood Risk and Urban Resilience of Beledweyne, Somalia (https://unhabitat.org/an-analysis-of-flood-risk-and-urban-resilience-in-beledweyne)

During this event we will have the opportunity to discuss this working paper with government officials from Beledweyne and Hirshabelle State as well as UN agencies, academia and other stakeholders.