The insight session on “Showcasing the Amman Urban Observatory” was held on 24 April 2024, delivered by Mr. Akram Khreisat from the Greater Amman Municipality. The session was organized by Connective Cities and presented to the global community of urban practitioners, as part of the Connective Cities network. Among the participants were urban practitioners, local and national government actors, academic researchers, non-governmental organizations, and local community members.

Mr. Akram Khreisat, director of the Amman Urban Observatory, introduced the participants into the working mechanisms and the fields of action of the Amman Urban Observatory and its role in tackling planning challenges in the capital city of Jordan.

The Amman Urban Observatory generates ‘urban indicators’ to monitor various aspects of the city that are important for urban development. Based on real-time monitoring of these urban indicators, planning processes in urban development are improved, as planners and developers are empowered to make informed decisions. In doing so, the observatory works together with ministries, government departments, national organizations, NGOs and companies from the private sector. The observatory works together with over 40 partners and stakeholders. Such urban indicators include vital characteristics for measuring sustainable urban development such as unemployment rate, land cover or the percentage of people living in poverty.

The Amman Urban Observatory has proved itself to be an effective tool for strategic and urban planning. Mr. Akram Khreisat described the observatory as not being a tool, but as a “process to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. In the case of the Amman Urban Observatory, the indicators created focus on the thematic areas of the following SDGs: Good Health and Well-Being (3); Affordable and Clean Energy (7); Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (9); Sustainable Cities and Communities (11); Climate Action (13) and Partnerships for the Goals (17).  

After the presentation by Dr. Akram Khreisat, the attendees asked questions about the Amman Urban Observatory. When asked about the challenges and difficulties the observatory faces, he elaborated on the large influx of refugees that Amman receives and the associated challenges for the measurement of urban indicators. As the city recently receives many refugees, indicators need a certain flexibility to account for the inconstant change of inhabitant numbers. Furthermore, Mr. Khreisat was asked whether the observatory uses the gathered data for spatial analysis or 3D cadaster purposes. In answering this, he elaborates that they work together with the city’s GIS Department in order to deliver scenario plans for spatial growth.

The Connective Cities Network intends to create a working group to identify different best practices for the observation of urban parameters. Furthermore, interested cities are intended to be assisted through the development of templates that can be used to implement in a similar process to the one in Amman. Any city representatives interested in joining the working group are very welcome to contact Dr. Muna Shalan (muna.shalan(at)giz.de) and Mr. Jimmy Yoedsel (jimmy.yoedsel(at)giz.de) for further information and the possibility to take part.

Connective Cities would like to thank Dr. Akram Khreisat and all the participants for the presentation of the Amman Urban Observatory and for the fruitful exchange and discussion.