Bahrain's housing cities' role in boosting social texture stressed
Manama, Oct. 31 (BNA): Minister of Housing Eng. Bassim bin Yaqoob Al Hamer praised the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, concerning the construction of housing cities with all needed facilities and services. He stressed that this approach, since the launch of the housing march last century, has proved its effectiveness in providing decent housing for Bahraini citizens and founded new sustainable communities with harmonious social fabric across the kingdom.
Marking the World Cities Day, which is observed on October 31, the Housing Minister described the occasion as an opportunity to recall the Bahraini experience in building the housing cities and providing so far 8 cities, 3 last century which are Isa, Hamad and Zayed, and 5 in the new millennium which are Salman, Khalifa, East Hidd, East Sitra and Ramli Suburb cities. He affirmed that those cities have become part of the kingdom’s identity after new urban communities were formed, reflecting success of the vision.
The minister added that the idea of the new Bahrain cities that the ministry is currently building within the framework of a plan to implement the royal order to build 40,000 housing units, is inspired by the success of establishing Isa Town, Hamad Town and Zayed Town. He noted that the new cities once again confirmed the success of that vision, which is embodied in the first stages of settling citizens in them.
The Minister of Housing indicated that the slogan of the World Cities Day 2020, “Valuing our Communities and Cities”, spotlights the impact of urban expansion in creating new types of social inclusion, including access to adequate housing. He added that the implications of this topic confirm the kingdom’s future outlook upon launching the housing process in the early sixties of the last century. He also confirmed that the theme is actually realized through the current methodology of managing the housing file.
The minster added that the Kingdom of Bahrain was able to achieve the equation of implementing housing cities with integrated facilities and services and achieving harmony between the new residents of these cities to form modern urban societies while preserving the character of the social fabric that the government attaches great importance to in various regions of the Kingdom. He also noted highlighting the Kingdom's experience in international forums which always wins the admiration and appreciation of international organisations and the member states of the United Nations.
The Minister of Housing said the World Cities Day also represents an opportunity to highlight the Kingdom's participation, alongside the international community, in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, especially the eleventh goal, which aspires to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe and sustainable. He stressed the Kingdom’s big strides in implementing this goal, which it has long pursued.
