Municipalities Affairs Minister heads Bahrain's delegation to GCC meeting

Riyadh, Sept. 8 (BNA): Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs, Eng. Wael bin Nasser Al-Mubarak, stressed the importance of promoting joint Gulf work to achieve the sustainable development goals within the unified vision of developing municipal work. He pointed out the vital role of the municipal sectors in the GCC countries in achieving comprehensive growth and boosting the advancement of the GCC societies. The Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs was speaking as he headed the kingdom’s delegation to the 25th meeting of the GCC Municipalities Affairs Ministers which convened today in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , after the approval of the recommendations reached at the meeting of the GCC senior municipal officials. He said that the meeting of the GCC Municipalities Affairs Ministers completes the steps towards achieving the sustainable municipal work aimed at optimizing services and boosting the welfare of the GCC national. The minister praised the recommendations and decisions reached at the meeting, particularly those pertaining to upgrading legislation and the mechanisms of municipal monitoring. He pointed out the joint municipal work strategy that aims to achieve the vision of the GCC leaders in ensuring maximum integration between the GCC member states. He commended the role of the GCC Secretariat General in handling challenges to achieve the desired goals. It is noteworthy that the meeting dealt with topics related to the joint Gulf municipal action strategy and the preparation of a number of guiding guides, namely the guide to the quality of life index, the guide to public utilities for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the guide to legislation, regulations and planning standards to enhance the humanization of cities. The meeting spotlighted the latest developments of the GCC Award for Municipal Work, as the fifth session of the award was approved during the years 2023-2024 under the theme "Social Partnership in the Municipal Work System". The meeting also discussed the conditions and mechanism for classifying contractors, the decision of the Supreme Council on the urban environment, and strategic urban planning, the decision to monitor the huge efforts in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to confront the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, and the decision of the Ministerial Council on the Gulf Building Code, in addition to announcing the winners of the GCC Award for Municipal Work, defining the themes of the upcoming municipal work conference and highlighting the Gulf municipal work in regional and international forums.