Bahrain participates in UN Habitat Conference

Quito, Oct. 18 (BNA): Housing Minister Bassim bin Yaqoub Al Hamer has participated in the United Nations (UN) Third Habit Conference in the Ecuadorian city of Quito. The minister delivered a speech in which he conveyed the greetings of the Kingdom's leadership and government to the conference participants. He added this international gathering offers the optimal opportunity to exchange viewpoints, review successful experiences in this field, with the aim of coming up with recommendations. "Bahrain has always attached great importance to urban development in all of its governmental programmes and plans over the last fifty years emanating from the Leadership's and Government's belief in the importance of the provision of all the proper components and conditions to provide dignified livelihood for all Bahraini citizens," he said. Bahrain has implemented significant projects in diversification of its economy with the aim of boosting productivity and uplifting the standards of living and the provision of job opportunities for its citizens. The Kingdom of Bahrain created a universal system for social protection to address the dossier of social equality and to support the population segments, said the minister. Bahrain attaches great importance to implementation of the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since the United Nations announced these goals in 2000. This has recently been documented in Bahrain Report regarding Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs2015). The report confirms that the Kingdom of Bahrain has implemented all development goals and striven to ensure sustainable development in recognition of its economic, social and environmental dimensions, the minister said. The minister pinpointed the Kingdom of Bahrain's accomplishment of its development goals as the product of futuristic vision adopted by the Government led by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa the Prime Minister as per the Government Action Plan 2014-2018 and in harmony with Bahrain Economic Vision2030. He cited cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UN Habitat Programme which culminated in the "HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Sustainable Urbanisation and Housing Development Award" launched by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2007 that received the Excellennt Achievement of Urbanisation and Housing Development Award. The Bahraini delegation included representatives from the Court of HRH The Prime Minister, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Works, Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning and the Informatics and e-Government Authority.