Housing Minister expresses Bahrain’s pride in its successful partnership with UN-Habitat

Housing Minister, Bassim bin Yacoub Al-Hamar, has affirmed Bahrain’s pride in its long-standing successful partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to implement UN initiatives, foremost of which is the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, noting that the Kingdom has made major strides in implementing these goals in various fields.

The minister was speaking during his meeting with UN-Habitat Executive Director, Maimunah Mohammed Sharif, on the sidelines of the High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, during which Minister Al-Hamar delivered a speech devoted to highlighting the progress made by the kingdom in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the presence of Bahrain’s Permanent Representative to UN in New York, Ambassador Jamal Faris Al-Ruwaie.

During the meeting, the minister reviewed the efforts made by the Government of Bahrain, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to achieve development goals, included in the second Voluntary National Review Report on the SDGs submitted by the kingdom to the UN, noting that the relevant ministries are coordinating in implementing those goals.

He indicated that the government’s efforts in this regard are focused on developing housing policies, paying attention to urban data and the elements of sustainability, establishing a framework for monitoring urban areas and housing, launching an urban greening project and providing green and healthy cities, in addition to innovative and sustainable design, and efficient energy and resource management, including waste and water, as well as promoting the design of public spaces and greening public spaces, with the participation of Bahraini youth.

UN-Habitat Executive Director commended Bahrain’s efforts to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and its keenness to submit its second Voluntary National Review Report on the SDGs in due course, given the importance of the report as a reference for the implementation of SDGs.

Maimunah Mohd Sharif also appreciated the Kingdom’s keenness to attend the High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda in New York, praising the valuable information and data contained in the Kingdom’s speech about the progress it has made.

She wished the Kingdom’s leadership, government and people continued success and prosperity.

Source: Bahrain News Agency