UN-Habitat and Naseej join forces to drive sustainable urban development in Bahrain

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Ashen Tharaka

UN-Habitat Bahrain and Naseej, the MENA region’s first fully integrated real estate and infrastructure development company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of Cityscape Bahrain.

The MoU aims to enhance collaboration between UN-Habitat and the private sector in support of the implementation of the 2021–2024 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework signed with Bahrain.

The objectives of the MoU include enhanced awareness and efforts from the private sector to make Bahraini cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Priority areas identified for pilot projects and resource mobilisation to support sustainable, smart, and inclusive cities and communities in Bahrain are another objective of signing the MoU.

In an interview with The Daily Tribune, Dr. Fernanda Lonardoni, Head of UN-Habitat Bahrain, said that the private sector has a key role to play in sustainable development. “Developers and investors have to stay in front of societal expectations for sustainable development, particularly when those expectations are evolving as quickly as they are today,” she said.

The MoU is a significant step forward in promoting sustainable urban development in Bahrain. It is expected to lead to increased collaboration between UN-Habitat and the private sector, as well as the development of innovative projects that will make Bahraini cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.