In a Japanese-UN partnership: Project for "Urban Renewal in Homs"
The Ministry of Local Administration and Environment revealed details of the first phase of the “Integrated Urban Regeneration and Sustainable Waste Management” project in Homs city, funded by the Japanese government in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and under the patronage of the International Cooperation Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
The agreement was signed on Thursday by Akihiro Tsuji, Chargé d’Affaires of the Japanese Embassy in Damascus, and Patrick Kanagasingham, Head of the Regional Programmes Division at UN-Habitat.
Attendees at the signing ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Damascus, included Youssef Sharaf, Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment for Environmental Affairs, and Mohammed Batheesh, Head of the United Nations Cooperation Department at the International Cooperation Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
The project, with a budget of approximately $10 million, aims to support integrated urban recovery in Homs by rehabilitating the old Clock Square and restoring its role as an economic and social hub, alongside developing a sustainable solid waste management system in the city.
The project includes reorganizing and rehabilitating markets surrounding the Clock Square, enhancing the municipality’s capacity in communication and service management, and rehabilitating the main landfill using the Japanese Fukuoka method. It also involves providing the municipality with mechanisms and equipment for waste collection, transport, and maintenance.
The Japanese “Fukuoka” method is an engineering technique for solid waste landfill management that relies on a semi-aerobic landfill system to reduce emissions and accelerate decomposition. It is based on a network of ventilation pipes embedded within the landfill body to increase airflow and speed up the biological decomposition of waste, while also reducing groundwater and environmental pollution and extending the landfill’s operational lifespan by at least three years.
Amr Al-Basha, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, told Al-Ekhbariya Channel website that the project implementation will span three years, divided between technical and institutional preparation, study and planning, followed by fieldwork execution and monitoring.
Al-Basha stated that the total Japanese funding amounted to approximately $9.8 million, to be distributed among project components related to: integrated urban regeneration, waste management, technical studies, capacity building, and monitoring and supervision. He noted that the detailed percentages allocated to each component will be determined within the approved project action plan and executive budget.
The Director of International Cooperation at the ministry predicted that the project would directly impact the lives of Homs residents by improving waste management, reducing accumulation and random disposal, and enhancing the efficiency of collection, transport, treatment, and disposal processes according to more sustainable technical and environmental standards.
It also contributes to rehabilitating urban spaces and related services to improve the overall landscape and quality of life, mitigate health and environmental risks, and provide a safer and cleaner environment for residents.
Regarding the expansion of the initiative, Al-Basha clarified that the Homs experience serves as a primary model whose results and lessons can be utilized in designing similar projects in other cities. He added that the ministry looks forward to expanding cooperation with international bodies and donors to implement additional interventions in urban recovery and waste management, “according to the needs of each city, national priorities, and available financial capacities.”
