Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, Amena bint Ahmed Al Romaihi, has affirmed Bahrain’s keenness on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and taking part in the international efforts to achieve sustainability in various areas. She pointed out the voluntary reports submitted in this regard which showed the kingdom’s progress in this respect.

She was speaking during a work meeting with the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Maimunah Sharif, which was held on the sidelines of her participation in the second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

The minister said that Bahrain had taken into consideration the sustainability criteria stipulated by goal eleven of the SDGs concerning the policies related to the implementation of the housing cities. She noted that cities’ general plans included, alongside the housing projects, the provision of commercial, educational, health and sport facilities. She added that coordination is underway with the competent authorities to implement them per a plan put in place for that purpose.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Planning underlined the government’s keenness to engage the private sector in its development plans, including social housing. She pointed out the sector’s contribution to providing a great number of housing units within the framework of a plan to carry out the royal directives to provide 40,000 housing units. She noted that this partnership will be taken higher in the upcoming phase through the projects that will be implemented as part of the Government Land Development Rights Programme.

Minister Al Romaihi outlined the policies and plans related to the provision of immediate housing services for citizens, pointing out in this regard the housing finance programme and the Government Land Development Rights Programme.

The UN-Habitat Executive Director praised Bahrain’s efforts to provide housing services for citizens and its progress in implementing the SDGs 2030, mainly goal 11. She pointed out her visit to the kingdom during which she visited a number of projects in Salman City. She praised the government’s support to the housing sector, wishing Bahrain more success and advancement.

Source: Bahrain News Agency