Raising living standards top priority, says minister
Bahrain attaches top priority to raising the living standards of people in the Kingdom as per the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, said Housing Minister, Bassim bin Yaqoub Al Hamer. Addressing the UN Human Habitat assembly in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, the Minister said the Kingdom is maintaining momentum of the SDGs’ achievement, particularly Goal 11 in making the cities and human settlements all-inclusive, safer, securer and capable of sustainable progress.
“The right to a suitable home remains the pivot of sustainable development goals in Bahrain in line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030,” he affirmed. Bahrain, the Minister told the conference, constructed three residential cities between the 1960s and the 1990s. The government also constructed several housing blocks in addition to providing more than 129,000 housing services over the last five decades. “This benefited 65 per cent of the citizens an accomplishment which also won His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, the UN Human Settlements (UN-Habitat)’s Urban Development Excellence Award 2006.”
Bahrain witnessed the transformation point in 2014 thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s Royal order to build 40,000 housing units under the Government Action Plan 2015-2018. 25,000 new homes were built in five prototype residential towns to achieve Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the Minister said.
The private sector contributed 12.5 per cent in the provision of housing services within the previous Government Action Plan thanks to the initiatives launched by the Housing Ministry to activate the principle of public-private partnership (PPP). The private sector undertakes a pivotal role in the current Government Action Plan 2019-2022 for the provision of 25,000 new housing units in addition to the government’s efforts.
The minister further praised the establishment of the UN-Habitat Society and the convening of its first meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
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