URBAN PROGRAMS STRATEGIC URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND C ITIES AND C LIMATE C HANGE MAPPING OF RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS AND CENTERS OF COMPETENCE
Bureau Technique des Villes Libanaises (BTVL) Category: Municipal and other associations
Country: Lebanon
Director: M. Béchir ODEIMI Contact: Ms. Abir Abi Khalil, Chargée de projets Bureau de Cités et Gouvernements Locaux Unis (Liban, Syrie, Jordanie) / Bureau Technique des Villes Libanaises Municipalité de Jdeidé (Matn), BP 70 675 ANTELIAS - LIBAN Tel : 961 1 901650 - Fax : 961 1 895768 Email: info@bt-villes.org or abir.abikhalil@bt-villes.org.lb Website : www.bt-villes.org Missions: The BTVL has been created in 2001. This technical assistance unit has contributed to the cooperation enhancement between Lebanese cities and it offers collaboration with other cities, mostly European ones. Lebanese representatives have recognized the weakness of the municipal action and the lack of human and financial resources. That is why Lebanese representatives have participating in creating the BTVL in order to ensure technical assistance to municipalities in designing and implementing their development projects. The BTVL is financed by Lebanese cities and aims at: Assisting cities: the unit helps municipalities to elaborate development and cooperation projects and monitors the implementation mobilizing academic resources, research centers, cities networks, international organizations and financial backers. The technical unit ensures quality assistance by implementing concrete development projects adapted to cities needs. Facilitating exchanges: cooperation and development are based on mutual knowledge, dialog and exchanges. The technical unit promotes meetings between municipalities and cooperation experts through technical visits at local, regional and international levels. Organizing training sessions: the technical unit organizes training sessions dedicated to representatives and local staff concerning different subjects, in partnership with European cities. These sessions take place in Lebanon or in Europe. Ensuring cities attractiveness: the website facilitates communication and is used by cities which desire to present their missions, mandates, projects and their expectations concerning cooperation. Relevance to the CMI urban programs: UD1 – Urban expansion and renewal Date of entry: June 2010