Launch of the “Consortium for Alexandria” to strengthen resilience against crises, disasters, and climate change

As climate change, sea-level rise, increasingly intense rainfall, coastal erosion, rapid urban growth and infrastructure exposure continue to reshape Alexandria’s risk landscape, strengthening the city’s capacity to anticipate, withstand and recover from future shocks has become increasingly important. As a densely populated coastal city of nearly 5.5 million residents, Alexandria faces interconnected climate and disaster risks that require coordinated planning, stronger early warning systems, resilient infrastructure and sustained investment in community preparedness.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in Egypt organized the launch of the “Consortium for Alexandria” in cooperation with the Egyptian Cabinet and Alexandria Governorate. The event brought together more than 60 participants, including representatives of national and local government, the United Nations system, diplomatic missions, international and local partners, technical experts and specialists. The launch was attended by the Governor of Alexandria, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, representatives of the Egyptian Cabinet, the Ambassador of Japan to Egypt and the Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab States.

The Consortium was established as an integrated partnership platform to unite stakeholders, exchange expertise and mobilize technical and financial resources in support of Alexandria’s resilience. Discussions highlighted the city’s exposure to increased rainfall, storms, flooding and rising sea levels, as well as ongoing national and local efforts to strengthen rainwater management, protect the coastline, upgrade infrastructure and reduce the exposure of vital facilities. Participants also reviewed an integrated risk-analysis map identifying areas of vulnerability across the city and discussed how risk information can support proactive crisis management and evidence-based decision-making.

The initiative aims to move resilience commitments towards practical implementation by strengthening infrastructure, early warning systems, institutional coordination, scientific research, risk awareness and public participation. It also supports Alexandria’s efforts to align local action with Egypt’s Climate Change Strategy 2050, Egypt Vision 2030 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. By bringing together government institutions, the United Nations, civil society, the private sector and technical partners, the Consortium seeks to position Alexandria as a leading regional model for inclusive, sustainable and risk-informed coastal resilience.