Damascus, Minister of Local Administration and Environment Lamia Shakour discussed Sunday with a Programme Management Officer, Human Settlements in UN-Habitat Syria, Hiroshi Takabayashi and the accompanying delegation prospects of cooperation through implementing early recovery projects and rehabilitating the infrastructure and the environment projects. Shakour emphasized the importance of the existing cooperation between the ministry and the UN Program in the fields of capacity building , training for administrative units , developing local recovery plans, and implementing the integrated early recovery project after the earthquake hit the country last year. Shakour pointed out the importance of implementing a project to increase the capacity of local communities in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside to resist climate change in order to meet the challenges of water scarcity through integrated management of natural resources and immediate adaptation interventions, which is implemented in partnership with the Habitat Program and UNDP ,and FAO. For his part, Takabayashi stressed the continued consolidation of work with the Ministry despite the challenges resulting from the reduction in budgets allocated for this, inaddition to follow up on the implementation of programs and projects related to rehabilitating infrastructure, enhancing recovery, renewable energies, and supporting the automation of real estate departments with equipment and supplies. Source: Syrian Arab News Agency