Bahrain participates in 7th Arab Housing Conference

Cairo, Dec. 19 (BNA): Housing and Urban Planning Minister, Aman bint Ahmed Al-Romaihi, participated in the opening session of the seventh Arab Housing Conference, themed “Towards Smart Sustainable Cities that Achieve Quality of Life”. Patronised by Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the three-day conference is held on the sidelines of the 39th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction. Minister Al-Romaihi praised the topics on the conference’s agenda, stressing that innovation in smart cities has become a necessary requirement for the future of urban communities. She also affirmed Bahrain's continuous interest in consolidating creativity and innovation in developing new communities and cities. She also indicated that governments are now giving special attention to the issue of providing smart infrastructure in city-building projects, which contributes to connecting those cities to the fastest services, in a way that benefits the lives of their dwellers. She added that many countries are currently connecting cities with 5G technology to maximise capabilities, raise the efficiency of using technical means and media, as well as enhance the efficiency and capabilities of infrastructure, noting that this has become an essential matter and represents one of the components of smart cities. Al-Romaihi underlined the importance of gradual shift towards smart cities, stressing that this should be carried out with well-thought-out planning methods. She also called for the need to set global norms, standards and indicators for the establishment of smart cities, noting that these standards should be exchanged among countries to reach an integrated model for smart cities. The minister asserted that the Kingdom has given great attention to putting in place the requirement of quality life in Bahrain's housing cities, through the provision of facilities and services, such as modern road networks, pedestrian and cycling lanes, as well as making public coasts available to citizens in cities with a coastal nature. She also highlighted Bahrain’s efforts to plant trees alongside main and secondary roads, and provide open spaces and children’s play areas, in addition to joint plans with the relevant government agencies to provide services, commercial, health and educational facilities, as well as places of worship in cities. The kingdom participated in the exhibition held on the sidelines of the conference. Bahrain’s pavilion included a model of Salman City, as an example of the government’s services provided in new housing towns. It also included a presentation about the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry’s efforts to provide housing services in partnership with the private sector.