The Role of Urban Resilience Strategies in the Economic Recovery of Post-Conflict Aleppo: Enhancing Livelihoods of the Host, Returnee, and Displaced Communities

Aleppo hosts a large population of remainees, returnees, and internally displaced people. Over the past decade, the city has experienced massive economic decline; the extensive destruction of Aleppo’s infrastructure has exacerbated the situation, resulting in a significant deterioration in residents’ livelihoods. The literature on post-conflict recovery notes that appropriate and well- managed rehabilitation planning and implementation can contribute to local economic recovery. This paper argues that urban resilience strategies could revitalise and promote economic recovery, by providing much-needed short and long-term job opportunities designed inclusively according to each group’s particular circumstances and capacities. A mixed methodology with an exploratory approach was employed to investigate urban deficiencies in Aleppo as perceived by three community groups: remainees, returnees, and IDPs. The paper identifies the most needed urban facilities and services by each group and concludes with urban resilience projects that provide inclusive and equitable livelihoods, improved transport, open spaces, and training centres. The paper recommends constructive collaboration between internal and external actors to finance, design and invest in urban resilience projects to enhance livelihoods, meet the overarching needs of the community, and boost local economic recovery.