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 In 1994, the UN Urban Management Programme for the Arab States Region (UMP-ASR) adopted an innovative approach to the development process by creating effective partnerships with the media. The strategy was developed to bring urban management and development issues to the forefront of public debate; introduce positive and sustainable changes in the attitude of the average Arab citizen towards urban development issues; and ultimately transform local needs and concerns into development priorities. This was achieved by building an active partnership with members of the media across the region.
Partnerships with the media were built by working closely with UMP media focal points in the Arab States region to establish media NGOs and committees within each UMP Arab state. The successful development of media NGOs and committees prompted the UMP -ASR to establish a regional media network of all the UMP media NGOs in the region. This network, the Arab Media Forum for Environment and Development (AMFED), was established as a regional link for media experts focusing on environment and development in the region and as a mechanism to ensure the sustainability of UMP initiatives beyond the program’s life span.
The founding meeting of AMFED was held in Siwa, Egypt, in May 1998. Organized by UMP –ASR, representatives from four environmental media societies: Environment and Development Writers’ Society (Egypt); Development and Environmental Media Society (Lebanon); Media and Urban Development Society (Jordan); and Yemeni Environmental Media Society (Yemen) attended the meeting, together with media representatives of the national committees affiliated with the UMP in Syria, Tunisia, and Morocco. The meeting established AMFED’s mandate as an organization bringing together media, development and environment experts from various Arab countries in coordination with other partners to work towards sustainable development in the Arab world.
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