Bahrain's sustainable urban development efforts praised

Manama, Dec. 13 (BNA): Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Mutawa received today the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habiat) Maimunah Mohammed Sharif. The meeting was attended by Shaikh Husam bin Isa Al Khalifa, the UN Coordinator to Bahrain Amin Sharqawi and Director of the UN-Habitat Regional Bureau for the Arab Countries Zina Ali Ahmed. Discussions focused on ways of boosting cooperation between Bahrain and the UN-Habitat to back all efforts in sustainable urban development. The Cabinet Affairs Minister hailed the visit of the UN-Habitat Executive Director to Bahrain, lauding the key role of the programme in backing the efforts to boost sustainable development, in general, and urban development, in particular. He reviewed the kingdom's achievements to meet the sustainable development goals 2030 and bring about more accomplishments in different fields. He also praised the efforts of the UN-Habitat Executive Director to develop the programme's work system in order to enhance its role in helping countries to achieve high rates of growth. On her part, the UN-Habitat Executive Director hailed the advanced level of cooperation with Bahrain and the kingdom's keenness to take part actively in all initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable urban development. She also praised His Royal Highness the Premier's keenness on promoting sustainable urban development. She informed the Cabinet Affairs Minister about the amendments endorsed by the programme's General Assembly recently to reform the programme's governing structure. She also presented him with an invitation to take part in the General Assembly's first meeting that will be held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in May 2019.