The COVID-19 pandemic has been a severe test of the ability of cities to withstand unexpected shocks, and has strained economic, health, social, and urban infrastructures to the limit. Beyond the pandemic, exposure to natural and human-caused hazards is expected to increase in frequency and scale due to climate change and rapid urbanization. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the number of natural disasters per year has tripled since the 1980s, affecting over 40 million people. Cities are also exposed to violence and cyber-attacks. Building urban resilience is therefore imperative.