Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi has said that Bahrain views the New Urban Agenda as a practical framework for advancing national policies, enhancing quality of life and developing more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities, in line with SDG 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
The minister made the statement as she led the Bahraini delegation to the United Nations high-level meeting on the midterm review of the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda at the UN headquarters in New York.
She said sustainable urban development begins with integrated urban planning, noting that Bahrain had completed the planning of 96 previously unplanned areas covering nearly 84sqkm, alongside the provision of the required infrastructure and the allocation of land for public facilities and services.
“These efforts have enhanced land-use efficiency, improved the urban environment and supported population and economic growth through sustainable planning,” Ms Al Romaihi said.
“Bahrain places particular emphasis on incorporating the concept of ‘Cities of the Future’ into the planning and development of housing cities, based on a development vision that places people at the heart of urban development and regards quality of life as a key measure of successful urban development,” she affirmed.
“This approach is reflected in Salman City, Khalifa City, East Hidd Housing City, East Sitra Housing City and Al Ramli District, which have been developed as integrated urban communities comprising housing units alongside schools, health centres, municipal services, cultural, sports and recreational facilities, as well as public and green spaces, to strengthen social cohesion, support family stability and enhance quality of life in line with the best international practices in sustainable urban planning.
“Bahrain’s urban development vision extends beyond building new cities to preserving the kingdom’s architectural and cultural identity as a pillar of sustainable development.”
She highlighted ongoing projects to redevelop Muharraq City and the historical Manama Suq area, in implementation of the royal directives to preserve the historical and cultural identity of Bahrain’s buildings and cities.
“These projects integrate infrastructure development, restoration of heritage buildings, enhancement of the urban landscape and improvement of quality of life while safeguarding the historical and cultural character of the cities,” she said.
Ms Al Romaihi also reviewed Bahrain’s efforts to strengthen the implementation of urban policies through expanded partnerships with the private sector, the development of housing finance programmes, national initiatives to develop government land, and the use of digital transformation and geospatial data to support urban planning and decision-making, improve project delivery, optimise resource utilisation and enhance urban sustainability.
She stressed that the next phase requires further development of integrated urban policies through greater innovation, the adoption of advanced technologies, expanded partnerships and more efficient urban planning to enable cities to respond effectively to future challenges while achieving balanced economic, social and environmental development.
Ms Al Romaihi reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to working closely with the international community, strengthening co-operation and the exchange of expertise and best practices, and supporting the efforts of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
This will accelerate implementation of the New Urban Agenda and achieve its objectives by building more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities that enhance quality of life and promote sustainable development for present and future generations, she added.
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