His Highness Sayyid Dr. Fahd bin Al Julanda bin Majid Al Said, Vice-Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), welcomed Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), during her visit to the University today.
The meeting was attended by Her Highness Sayyida Dr. Muna bint Fahd Al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation, and Mahmoud bin Abdullah Al-Kindi, Director of the International Cooperation Office. The UN-Habitat Executive Director was accompanied by Dr. Aymen El-Hefnawi, GCC Representative of UN-Habitat.
The meeting discussed global housing challenges and developments in urban planning, with particular focus on Oman’s urbanisation, population growth, urban density and the need to balance development with sustaining natural resources and conserving the environment. The discussions also addressed the effects of urban expansion and changing patterns of urban movement on climate and resources, including challenges such as drought.
His Highness the Vice-Chancellor emphasised the importance of understanding the preferences and aspirations of younger generations when planning for Oman’s future urban development. He noted the need for empirical research into emerging demographic and housing preferences, including attitudes and changing patterns of residential development.
His Highness also referred to the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s vision of predominantly horizontal instead of vertical development, and highlighted the need for forward-looking decisions that conform to Oman’s evolving urban landscape. He stressed the close relationship between urbanisation and infrastructure planning.
Rossbach outlined UN-Habitat’s international initiatives addressing the global housing crisis and its cooperation with universities in different countries to promote adequate, affordable and resilient housing amid rapid urbanisation, inequality and climate change.
She explained that addressing the housing crisis extends beyond increasing the number of homes. It requires an integrated approach linking housing with multiple factors, while also addressing rising housing costs and climate-related issues.
Rossbach referred to the World Urban Forum held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May 2026, which brought the global housing crisis to the forefront of international discussions and explored how governments, cities and communities can improve access to adequate and affordable housing. She noted that UN-Habitat has also begun working in Oman with cities affiliated with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones.
His Highness the Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of identifying what is working and what requires improvement in existing approaches, noting that research by younger generations could contribute to developing new solutions. He also affirmed SQU’s readiness to cooperate and coordinate with UN-Habitat programmes, contributing their expertise to initiatives aimed at understanding urbanisation trends and addressing housing and related challenges.