New york: Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, led the Bahraini delegation to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, held at the UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting gathered ministers, senior officials, and representatives from member states to assess the progress in implementing the New Urban Agenda since its adoption in 2016. It also aimed to review national experiences and reinforce international commitments to accelerate its implementation over the coming decade in support of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and the completion of the New Urban Agenda's objectives by 2036.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the minister addressed the meeting on behalf of Bahrain, highlighting that the Kingdom 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. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Al Rumaihi explained that Bahrain has translated the principles of the New Urban Agenda into integrated national policies and programmes. Guided by the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, these initiatives place people at the center of development and make quality of life a key objective of national plans and projects. The government's directives, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, have contributed significantly to the development of integrated urban communities through accelerated housing and urban development projects, particularly the national programme to deliver 50,000 housing units.
The minister emphasized that sustainable urban development begins with integrated urban planning. Bahrain has completed the planning of 96 previously unplanned areas covering approximately 84 square kilometers, which includes the provision of necessary 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.
Al Rumaihi underscored the importance of incorporating the concept of 'Cities of the Future' into the planning and development of housing cities. This development vision focuses on placing people at the heart of urban development and considering quality of life as a key measure of successful urban development. This approach is evident in several cities such as Salman City, Khalifa City, East Hidd Housing City, East Sitra Housing City, and Al Ramli District. These have been developed as integrated urban communities comprising housing units alongside schools, health centers, municipal services, cultural, sports, and recreational facilities, as well as public and green spaces. These features aim to strengthen social cohesion, support family stability, and enhance quality of life in line with international best practices in sustainable urban planning.
The minister highlighted Bahrain's commitment to preserving its architectural and cultural identity as a pillar of sustainable development. Ongoing projects aim to redevelop Muharraq City and the historical Manama Souq area, aligning with royal directives to preserve Bahrain's historical and cultural identity. 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.
Minister Al Rumaihi reviewed Bahrain's efforts to strengthen urban policy implementation through expanded partnerships with the private sector, development of housing finance programmes, national initiatives to develop government land, and the use of digital transformation and geospatial data. These strategies aim to support urban planning and decision-making, improve project delivery, optimize resource utilization, and enhance urban sustainability.
She concluded by stressing the need for further development of integrated urban policies through greater innovation, adoption of advanced technologies, expanded partnerships, and more efficient urban planning. This will enable cities to respond effectively to future challenges while achieving balanced economic, social, and environmental development. Al Rumaihi reaffirmed Bahrain's commitment to working closely with the international community to strengthen cooperation, exchange expertise and best practices, and support the efforts of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to accelerate implementation of the New Urban Agenda and achieve its objectives.